Devon Evans, Gleaner Writer
OCHO RIOS, St. Ann:
ALL IS now set for today's by-election in the Alexandria division of the South West St. Ann constituency.
Only candidates from the two major political parties will be contesting the by-election, which is being held to fill the vacancy created by the death of councillor for the division, Derrick Frater, on July 2, this year.
Following three weeks of heavy campaigning, both the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party (PNP) are confident their efforts will ensure a victory for their respective candidates.
CANDIDATES
The JLP, which has won every election held in this division in the past 58 years, has put forward businessman Gilbert 'Winston' McLeod as its candidate, while the PNP has selected Mr. McLeod's niece, 36-year-old housekeeping supervisor, Shirley Campbell.
Following a very active campaign led by Deputy General Secretary Maureen Webber, who is the campaign director, culminating with a mass meeting in Alexandria square last Saturday night, the PNP has been taking things a bit easier this week.
On Tuesday Ms. Campbell was engaged in house-to-house visits in the Cave Valley area.
Later in the evening she was scheduled to meet with election day workers. "I am looking forward to a victory," Ms. Campbell told The Gleaner on Tuesday.
But despite its dominance in the division, the JLP is taking no chances and appears to be even busier than its opponent.
PUBLIC MEETING
On Monday night, the Labourites held a public meeting in St. D'Acre, and on Tuesday night they wrapped up the campaign with a mass meeting in Alexandria. Ernest Smith, JLP Member of Parliament for South West St. Ann, said victory for the party was a foregone conclusion.
Meanwhile returning officer for South West St. Ann, Reverend Lenworth Sterling, said electors in Alexandria will cast their ballots at 45 polling stations across the division.
Rev. Sterling said the electoral office was fully prepared for today's by-election and expected a very smooth operation.
In the 2003 local government election, in Alexandria, the JLP's Frater polled 1,608 to 800 votes for the PNP's Georgia Moses and a little over 100 votes for the People's Political Party candidate, Claude Dussard.
So far, campaigning in the Alexandria division has been incident-free.
