St Mary SE has spoken
Dear Editor,
The people of St Mary South Eastern have spoken loud and clear in favour of Dr Norman Dunn and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
The people of St Mary South Eastern have also spoken loud and clear regarding non-Jamaicans in Parliament.
Andrew Holness has proven that Peter Phillips is easier to beat than Portia Simpson Miller. This by-election victory has now given Holness more breathing room to reshuffle his Cabinet.
Some 15,415 people voted out of 25,251 voters on the list — a voter turnout of 61.05 per cent. In the February 25, 2016 General Election 14,643 voted out of 24,517 — a voter turnout just below 60 per cent; the first and only to happen to date.
Dr Norman Dunn got 8,156 votes (53 per cent) compared to Dr Shane Alexis’s 7,239 (47 per cent). Dunn won by 937 votes and is the first candidate in the history of the seat to surpass the 8,000 mark. Also, he’s the first candidate since 1997 to have won by over 900 votes.
Coincidentally, over 800 new voters were added to this new voters’ list. And Dr Shane Alexis earned 85 votes fewer than former Member of Parliament Winston Green. Since 1980, only once has this constituency not voted for the Government and that was 2016 when Dr Green won by five votes.
The constituency has always experienced a relatively high voter turnout pattern, as much as 71 per cent in 1997; 78 per cent in 1989; 85.96 per in 1980; 82.58 per cent in 1976; and 80.27 per cent in 1967.
Dr Dunn won because he is not a new candidate. He has always there, even after losing the general election. Dr Dunn is a son of the soil, and many feel he is the last hope for the people of St Mary South Eastern based on the sad state of the constituency at this point in time, with the People’s National Party having held the seat 22.5 years out of the last 27.5 years.
The JLP didn’t win because it outspent the People’s National Party; only the blind would believe that theory; voters are not foolish. Neither did the JLP win because of thug intimidation. The facts were in the JLP’s favour.
Trinidadian Derek Ramsamooj is again showing us how to conduct polls. He called it correctly again.
I hope Dr Alexis stays in the process. I hope he knows this is not personal and we Labourites ‘rate’ his bravery. We need young professionals like him to stay in the political process.
I want Dr Dunn to make St Mary South Eastern great again. I hope this victory for the JLP does not go to his head.
Teddylee Gray
Ocho Rios, St Ann
teddylee.gray@gmail.com