Charles By Lynford Simpson,
Staff Reporter
VETERAN TRADE unionist Pearnel Charles will contest the North Central Clarendon constituency for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the next parliamentary elections which are constitutionally due at the end of 2002.
Yesterday the embattled former deputy leader of the party brushed aside a spirited challenge from Dr. Percy Broderick in a delegates vote at the Chapelton Court House to emerge as the party's care-taker/candidate for the constituency.
He received 90 votes to Dr. Broderick's 62, a vindication for staying in the constituency when the party hierarchy refused to back him at the time Dr. Broderick announced his intention to return to representational politics. The past few months have seen a keen tussle between the two, with even a reported skirmish between their supporters earlier this year.
Many of Mr. Charles' supporters expressed disappointment that Dr. Broderick, having called it quits wanted to "walk back" into a seat he held between 1972 and 1989. The seat is currently held by the People's National Party's George Lyn who defeated Mr. Charles in the 1997 general elections.
There was much jubilation among Mr. Charles' supporters when party general secretary Dr. Ken Baugh announced the results. The Broderick camp, which for the most part wore green T-shirts with the words 'Doc P' 'full hundred', perhaps sensing defeat, kept their distance at the market 120 metres away.
About 166 delegates were eligible to vote in yesterday's election. A breakdown of polling in the three divisions is testimony to Mr. Charles' popularity in the constituency. He received 24 votes to Dr. Broderick's 18 in the Rock River division, 15 to the challenger's 16 in the Mocho division, and 51 of the 79 votes cast in the Chapelton division.
Mr. Charles was gracious in victory and both men pledged to work to unify the constituency in the interest of the party and the country.
"I think this (victory) is a continuation of the change that the party is seeking in order to go into the election that is coming up. I just want to say to my colleague let's unite and move the party forward to take up the job of restructuring and rebuilding Jamaica," Mr. Charles said.
He attributed his victory to "inspirational leadership and proper organisation," and lauded Councillors in the divisions for doing a "fantastic job" in organising the grassroots. He appealed to Dr. Broderick's supporters to accept the results and put the party first. The challenge, he said, "was not necessary".
Dr. Broderick urged his supporters to accept the results, telling them that the delegates had spoken. He promised to use his influence to persuade those who supported him to throw their support behind Mr. Charles. In congratulating Mr. Charles, he said he was satisfied the election machinery, presided over by Arthur Williams, deputy general secretary in charge of administration, had worked.
Despite the reconciliatory position taken by both men in their call for unity, it might be more difficult for their supporters to come around. Months of campaigning had split the constituency in two. Yesterday Mr. Charles' supporters refused Dr. Broderick's invitation to join him in the market for a get together.
Mr. Williams told The Gleaner he was satisfied everything went well in terms of the process. "Nobody can complain that the system hampered them," he said.
