Paul Buchanan - Photo by Dalton Laing

Paul Buchanan, the candidate first selected to represent the People's National Party (PNP) in Central Westmoreland in the next general election, says he is unperturbed by threats of disciplinary action from the hierarchy of the party if he challenges moves to replace him with veteran politician and Agriculture Minister, Roger Clarke.

"I am asking for justice," declared Buchanan in an interview yesterday with The Gleaner/Power 106 News. "I am not responding to any threats of disciplinary action. We will deal with that when the time comes."

Donald Buchanan, acting PNP general secretary, said yesterday that the party would announce its candidate for Central Westmoreland on November 26.

Refusing to relinquish his ties with the Central Westmoreland constituency without a fight, Mr. Buchanan insisted that he should be returned as the people's candidate for the area.

"There is no poll findings, nothing in the polls that says I cannot beat Russell Hammond (JLP caretaker)," he stressed.

According to Mr. Buchanan, his plans and vision for the constituency would secure one of the most massive victories for the party.

Considering requests

Mr. Clarke, the current Member of Parliament for North East St. Elizabeth, said late last month that he was considering requests from PNP supporters in Central Westmoreland that he represent the party in that constituency. Since that time, Mr. Clarke has reportedly been working on the ground to widen his support base in the area.

Given up the fight

And as the PNP moves to conclude its candidate selection process for the upcoming general election, senior PNP sources have indicated that sitting Member of Parliament for South East St. Ann, Aloun Assamba, has given up the fight to represent the party in that constituency.

Mrs. Assamba is also the Minister of Tourism, Entertainment and Culture. The decision was reportedly conveyed to party president and Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, yesterday at a meeting at Jamaica House.

For weeks, the embattled MP had come under increasing pressure from constituency workers to step aside as the PNP candidate for the next election. The party hierarchy had repeatedly said it retained confidence in Mrs. Assamba who holds what is considered one of the safest seats for the PNP.

However, with public opinion polls indicating that the next general election is likely to be close, the party appears to be taking no chances.