Daraine Luton and Mark Beckford, Gleaner Writers

Dr. Charlton Collie, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for Central Kingston, is claiming that he is on target to wrest the constituency from the grasp of the People's National Party (PNP) when the next general election is called.

"The people are responding and I believe we have a glorious chance ... This is our best chance of winning this seat," Dr. Collie told The Gleaner during a JLP tour of the area yesterday.

The Central Kingston seat is currently represented by Victor Cummings of the PNP who beat Dr. Collie in the 2002 General Election.

Except for the 1944 election when Frank Ainsley won and 1983 when the PNP did not contest the election, Central Kingston has never been represented by the JLP.

Dr. Collie insisted yesterday that he had grown stronger as a politician and had spent a lot more time with the residents which should make him more competitive this time around. He noted that nearly 4,000 people, many of them PNP supporters, have been removed from the voters' list.

Yesterday scores of persons clad in green shirts marched alongside party leader Bruce Golding as JLP representatives made yet another stop in their islandwide tour of constituencies.

Residents stood at their gates at various points along the route, while others perched on walls and peeped though zinc fences as the JLP team walked through the area.

Dr. Collie said he expects the 'fever' to pick up as the election draws nearer.

Meanwhile, Mr. Golding, who was accompanied on the tour by deputy leader Derrick Smith and Shadow Minister on Justice Delroy Chuck, described the response of the constituents as "very strong" but said a lot more work needs to be done on the ground.

"This is our best chance of taking a number of constituencies that we don't normally win and this is one of them," Mr. Golding told The Gleaner.

He again predicted that the JLP would win the election and this he said would be achieved through methodical planning.

Central Kingston includes several garrison enclaves including 'Southside', and 'Tel-A-Viv', sections of Wildman Street and Allman Town.