Adrian Frater, News Editor 
People's National Party contender for the Eastern Westmoreland seat, Luther Buchanan, dips his finger in ink after voting at premises in New Roads, Westmoreland, last Wednesday. - PHOTO BY ADRIAN FRATER
WESTERN BUREAU:
LUTHER BUCHANAN did not leave his campaign office until 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning, as he fine-tuned his preparations for the by-election, which made him Member of Parliament for Eastern Westmoreland.
"As the leader, you have to take charge and ensure that everything is in place," said the 38-year-old Buchanan. "As a leader, you cannot leave anything to chance."
By 5:30 a.m., Mr. Buchanan and his campaign team were back in their Darliston campaign office; the polls were slated to open in under two hours and party workers had to be dispatched to the various locations to ensure the smooth rolling of the party's election machinery.
"We have to be out there assisting the sick and elderly to get to the polling stations," said Mr. Buchanan. "We also have to be making arrangements for the transportation and feeding of the party workers."
HEADED HOME
After almost four hours of non-stop telephone calls and impromptu meetings with campaign workers, Mr. Buchanan climbed into his white Prado at approximately 9:10 a.m. and headed off to his house at nearby Lennox, where his mother Joyce, wife Bobbeth and other family members were awaiting him.
Shortly after, his booming voice was heard singing in the showers. Minutes later, he was at the breakfast table, where he
was joined by his uncles, Water and Housing Minister Donald Buchanan and Government Senator, Noel Monteith.
"He had saltfish and vegetables with fried dumplings," said wife Bobbeth, after Mr. Buchanan had completed his breakfast. "He also had coffee and a serving of orange juice."
At 10:13 a.m. Mr. Buchanan emerged from his house with his mother and wife. Like a caring father figure, he ushered them into the Prado.
"This is home to the Buchanan family, this is where I live," said a smiling Buchanan. "This is where I grew up and enjoyed my childhood."
CASTING BALLOTS
With the SUV transporting his two uncles in tow, Mr. Buchanan headed to the home of Luther Beckford in nearby New Works, where he allowed his mother and wife to vote first before casting his ballot.
For the next seven hours, it was all work for the aspiring Member of Parliament, as he paced around with his constituency officer, making and receiving telephone calls.
"I heard a senior JLP official is making trouble out in Berkshire, please alert the police," he was overhead saying in a telephone call. "We can't allow anybody to spoil today."
As the afternoon dragged on, top party officials, including Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, started converging on his office; the already upbeat Mr. Buchanan had already started celebrating. Preliminary results were already indicating that he had established an unbeatable lead.
"I never had a doubt," Mr, Buchanan said with a wry smile. "It is all in a day's work." <
