Gareth Davis, Gleaner Writer
VAZ
PORTLAND:
DEPUTY TREASURER of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Daryl Vaz is the new constituency caretaker for Western Portland.
Mr. Vaz defeated incumbent Kenneth Rowe in a delegates vote last evening at the Buff Bay Primary School in the parish.
He received 175 votes to the embattled former caretaker, Kenneth Rowe's 66.
A total of 262 delegates were eligible to vote from the Hope Bay, St. Margaret's Bay, Buff Bay and Balcares polling divisions, respectively.
A beaming Mr. Vaz told The Gleaner shortly after his triumph, that his margin of victory was not a surprise.
"I believe that poor represen-tation has cost us this West Portland seat for the last two elections," he said. "The decision for me to come to Western Portland was a calculated one."
Yesterday's elections were held following indications from the JLP executive that the constituency was poorly represented, and that delegates should determine whom they wanted to represent them in the next general election.
Meanwhile, deputy general secretary of the JLP, André Franklyn, who announced the constituency caretaker, is appealing to party supporters to remain united.
