Life after P.J. Patterson
Published: Sunday | June 4, 2006
- FILE
Former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and Member of Parliament for Eastern Westmoreland (left) walks through the constituency with Luther Buchanan, who is running for the seat.
Adrian Frater, News Editor
WESTERN BUREAU:
FOR THE first time since 1967, the name P.J. Patterson will not be appearing on the ballot paper for a parliamentary election in the Eastern Westmoreland constituency, which he has represented as Member of Parliament for over 28 years.
In fact, except for the 1980 General Election when educator Euphemia Williams surprisingly beat him, Mr. Patterson has been the dominant force in Eastern Westmoreland politics, winning the seat with a garrison-like majority for the People's National Party (PNP) on several occasions.
Mr. Patterson, whose tenure as the PNP's constituency chairman for Eastern Westmoreland started in 1967 and only recently ended with his retirement from active politics, was highly revered by his constituents. Many pundits are now predicting that he is going to be an extremely hard act to follow.
STRONG PNP TERRITORY
"Eastern Westmoreland has remained strong PNP territory because of the work done in that constituency by P.J. Patterson, which is seen by many as second to none," said noted political analyst Shallman Scott. "Consequently, P.J.'s positive legacy does not only include his non-confrontational political style, but that he has also set a fine example of a consummate constituency representative."
In rating Mr. Patterson's performance as Member of Parliament, Enfield Primary School teacher Sharon Hamilton, who holds the former Prime Minister in extremely high regard, recently told The Sunday Gleaner that he was both an exemplary Prime Minister and Member of Parliament.
"His handiwork is everywhere. We have good roads, we have light and water, we have factories, schools and even a major hotel," said Diana Drummond, a secretary from the Bethel Town area of the constituency. "I have no reservation about giving Mr. Patterson a full 100 per cent for his performance as MP."
MASTERING THE BEAUTIFUL ROAD NETWORK
In going through the constituency, residents on both sides of the political divide have credited Mr. Patterson for mastering the beautiful road network they now have, the new water supply system, which recently came on stream, as well as the new Sandals Whitehouse Hotel, which has brought tourism to hitherto an agriculture and fishing-dominated constituency.
For those persons who think Mr. Patterson could have done better, there seems to be a general feeling that he could have done more in the creation of employment opportunities.
"While I have to praise him for what he has done in creating proper roads and training opportunities, I would be a lot happier if he had done more to ease unemployment among the youths," said Alecia Kerr, a casual worker of Chester Castle. "I think he could have done better, especially in handling crime, which is out of hand."
As the JLP's Don Foote and his PNP counterpart Luther Buchanan prepare for Wednesday's by-election, residents of Eastern Westmoreland are already bracing for life after P.J. Patterson.
"Mr. Patterson was a very good MP and we are just hoping that his replacement will measure up to his high standards," said Lance Brown, a fisherman of Whitehouse. "We just have to wait and see."
WESTERN BUREAU:
WHILE ILL HEALTH has kept her off the campaign trail, at 80, Euphemia Williams remains the same committed 'Labourite' she was when she defeated former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson in the 1980 General Election.
Mrs. Williams is keenly eyeing Wednesday's by-election in her old Eastern Westmoreland constituency. The ageing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) legend, who remains the only candidate from her party to have won that seat since the granting of Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944, will be throwing her support behind the party's candidate, attorney-at-law, Don Foote.
"Ill health is keeping me from going out and campaigning with him, but I am definitely supporting Mr. Foote," said the former educator turned politician. "My health is not good. In fact, I have to be using a pacemaker to support my heart."
OFFERING ADVICE AND GUIDANCE
While she has not been able to join Mr. Foote on the campaign trail, Mrs. Williams has been offering advice and guidance in the hope that he will find the winning formula in his face-off with the People's National Party's (PNP) Luther Buchanan, who is seeking to maintain his party's throat-hold over the constituency.
"I think Mr. Foote is a good candidate but I would like to see him out there a little bit more," said Mrs. Williams, noting that his job as an attorney might be limiting his campaign time. "I think he is a much better candidate than the other candidate (Buchanan) who, I understand, is not approachable."
In speaking to the strategy she used in her surprise win in 1980 over Mr. Patterson, which still remains quite baffling to some respected political pundits, Mrs. Williams said the key factors include staying close to the people, listening their concerns and trying your best to help them.
"I lost twice to Mr. Patterson before I defeated him in 1980," said Mrs. Williams, who served two and a half years as Member of Parliament before bowing out because of ill health. "By 1980, most of my former students, who knew I was a caring person, had reached the voting age and so I got their support and won the seat by 1,500 votes."
Mrs. William, who served as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education during her tenure in Parliament, said that her successes included upgrading health centres, improving water supply, expanding electricity and the construction of farm houses and farm tanks.
"If you want to be respected, you must seek to address the needs of the people," said Mrs. Williams, who worked with the HEART Trust from 1984 until she retired in 1996. "If you are not about representing the best interest of the people you should not seek office."
ACTIVE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, LAY PREACHER
Despite her ill health, Mrs. Williams, who was accorded the Order of Distinction in 2000, is an active Justice of the Peace and lay preacher. She said she hopes to go out and cast her vote come next week's by-election.
"I want Mr. Foote to win because apart from his educational background, he is someone who I know will listen to the people," said Mrs. Williams. "I think he has a lot of support and like I did in 1980 when I defeated P.J. (Mr. Patterson), I think he is going to win."
- A.F.
