TWO Fridays ago, the Jamaica Observer visited the battleground constituency of St Andrew West Rural, where incumbent Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament Juliet Cuthberth-Flynn and the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Krystal Tomlinson are expected to face off in the upcoming general election.

Supporters of both parties were asked: “Why should your party’s candidate become the next Member of Parliament?” Here is how they responded:

Sheldon Picart, Stony Hill: It’s Juliet. I’m going for Juliet without a doubt. I’m very much satisfied with the work that the Member of Parliament is doing. One of her major achievements is the bridge down at Airy Castle Road, because people have always been wanting that. My only problem is that she could get most of the young people engaged in terms of work or getting a skill but everything with her is fine so far.

Davion Grant, Brandon Hill: I’m new to this politics thing but I see Krystal Tomlinson. She a run fi it now but she young. She naah go get the seat yet but a she mi a go for. She deh ya whole heap a time still. A she paint up the place an thing fi di Labour Day and everything and she have some good plan still.

Carol Lewis, Unity Square: We vote JLP straight because a we prime minister we vote for. We vote fi all the work weh we see him a do. Him do a lot when him in suh a him get we vote up here. We nuh really have nuh problem with the MP only seh we want water but we okay otherwise.

Cylene Pinnock, Unity Square: Shower mi seh always. A suh mi vote all the while; mi naah change. Mi see Andrew a do whole heap of things like fix road, the coronavirus, whole heap of things him a do and the candidate is a good person that’s why mi a vote fi her. Mi like the work she a do inna the area. She will come and look pon the road and give wi road or send the water truck and give us water.

Kathleen Thomas, Guava Gap: Krystal is a brilliant girl. She know how to socialise with people and I think she will do a very good job in the constituency because people love her so them will work with her.

Carlton Small, Mannings Hill: My support is always for the People’s National Party. They have done a lot of things… What they do? They look for the smaller set of people them; the poorer class of people and the programmes that they put in place help a lot of people. Michael Manley do all of that. All the programmes that the ruling party working with now are programmes that were in place before. So I voting for Krystal because we want a representative from the PNP in this area.