By Raymond Graham, Freelance Writer 
Dabdoub
ST. CATHERINE:
A LOT of attention was focused on the St. Catherine North East constituency where the incumbent Abe Dabdoub was up against former Member of Parliament Phyllis Mitchell. Dabdoub, an attorney, was given the seat in the last election by the court after being defeated in the poll by school teacher, Mitchell.
Mitchell, who had previously won the seat by a mere 30 votes, saw that decision overturned some three-and-a-half years later as Dabdoub who had filed a complaint that the voting in the constituency was marked by irregularities was given the seat after a recount by some 23 votes.
Because of the tension since that period, some expected trouble during the day as both candidates were eager to put things beyond a doubt with a convincing victory. In the end it was Dabdoub who came out a convincing winner as he polled 5,278 to Mitchell's 4,605, a majority of 673 votes.
For the entire day, it was very relatively peaceful in the constituency with only one skirmish around midday at the Harewood All-Age School where there was an altercation between Mr. Dabdoub and a PNP supporter.
For the entire day, it was Mr. Dabdoub who seemed the busier of the two candidates as he moved from Top Mountain, Berwick and Harewood along with his families to ensure things were going well. Mrs. Mitchell who had spent most of the morning session at her office in Guys Hill arrived at the Riversdale area at around 2:00 p.m. and remained there for the remainder of the day.
About 5:30 p.m. one could feel the excitement in the air as JLP and PNP supporters were gathering in their numbers outside the square in anticipation of the final count of ballet boxes at the Comprehensive Clinic some 600 metres away.
Mrs. Mitchell who had looked very confident during the day was the first of the two candidates to be seated inside the counting area, looking a bit tense. Mr. Dabdoub did not arrive until some two hours after as he sent his brother to marshall things. When he approached, the counting had reached the half-way staged and at that time it was a ding-dong battle. At that time, Mr. Dabdoub seemed very confident while there was a sign of nervousness on Mitchell's face as, according to her opponent, Cheesefield District was yet to reach the office. The lead kept changing until 73 of 95 boxes where Dabdoub took the lead for good. With some five boxes from Cheesefield not yet arrived there was a big smile on Dabdoub's face.
Those boxes made the difference as the votes for the JLP candidate really outnumbered the PNP and it was curtains for Mitchell.
She was very disappointed with the loss. "I think I worked extremely hard and I gave it my best shot. Here it was the person who had the money that was victorious and the people had made a choice and if they want some one for short-term instead of long-term it is their choice," said Mitchell.
Mr. Dabdoub who had joined his cheering supporters in his office some metres away was very elated. Although being victorious he stated that he had mixed fortune. "I am very happy for the victory but I am sad because of non-democracy in the country as too many injustice had gone on and I am hoping to go to Parliament to change this", he said.
