By Omar Anderson Gleaner WriterTWO LOCAL government
by-elections will be taking place today -one in Mount Industry
in the parish of St. Catherine, and the other in Bethel Town, Westmoreland.
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) won Mount Industry in last year's election by a mere nine votes.
The other by-election in Bethel Town, Westmoreland, while important, is expected to assume less focus as it has traditionally been a seat for the People's National Party which won it by 499 votes last year.
CLOSE RACE
And based on the closeness of the Mount Industry election, both parties have fortified their efforts to win the division.
Reports reaching The Gleaner are that a high cadre of senior PNP officers have been deployed to the division to seek to bag it for the party later today when the ballots are counted.
These include vice-president Dr. Peter Phillips, who has been assigned responsibility for the division, Robert Pickersgill, Dr. Paul Robertson, Maxine Henry-Wilson, deputy general secretary Julian Robinson, Harry Douglas, Horace Dalley, Fitz Jackson, Fenton Ferguson, and Alethia Barker.
HIGH PROFILE TEAM
The JLP has also deployed
general secretary and campaign director Karl Samuda, James Robertson, deputy leader in charge of Area Council Two, Dr. Ken Baugh, Dr. Raymoth Notice, Dr. St. Aubyn Bartlett, Bobby Montaque, Devon Wint, deputy general secretary Joel Williams, and Enid Bennett.
Abe Dabdoub is the North
East St. Catherine Member of Parliament in which Mount Industry falls.
Meanwhile for Bethel Town, the PNP has assigned Portia Simpson Miller to see the party to victory. She is to be assisted by Dr. Karl Blythe, Dr. Wykeham McNeil, and deputy general secretary Maureen Webber.
The JLP's Dr. Horace Chang, deputy leader in charge of
Area Council Four, and Eastern Westmoreland caretaker, Don Foote are spearheading party efforts in Bethel Town.
Contacted yesterday, Beverley Howell, the JLP's candidate for Mount Industry, said with divine help she expects to win the division for her party.
