Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller believes former Miss World Lisa Hanna will also claim the crown in South East St. Ann. - File

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

EVER SINCE the early 1990s when she hosted 'Rappin', a popular television programme for teens, Lisa Hanna was cast in the 'most-likely-to-succeed' column. Winning the Miss World contest in 1993 strengthened those expectations.

Hanna, 31, has remained in the spotlight. She went on to co-host another well-received television show ('Our Voices') and has done community work in some of Kingston's toughest communities. A bitter custody battle with ex-husband and former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Senator David Panton over their son also got a lot of publicity.

Nothing compares to the furore over her recent appointment as the People's National Party's (PNP) candidate for South East St. Ann. It seemed to cause a temporary split among Comrades in a constituency considered one of the safest seats for the governing party.

Hanna replaces Assamba

Hanna replaces Tourism Minister Aloun Assamba, who in October last year indicated that she would not contest the seat for her party in the next general election, after several street demonstrations by residents, citing non-performance.

Daggers were drawn when news broke two weeks ago that Hanna would be the farming community's new candidate. Many PNP supporters said she had no political experience and knew little of the area. Sheree Brown-McDonald, wife of popular PNP funder Denzil 'Wizzy' McDonald, had been the favourite among four aspirants to replace Assamba.

PNP bigwigs, including General Secretary Donald Buchanan and Paul Burke, say party supporters have quickly warmed to Hanna. Among the converts is elder statesman Seymour Mullings, who represented the constituency in Parliament for 17 years.

The uproar among local PNP representatives has died down. Grover Gordon and Lloyd Garrick, councillors in South East St. Ann, declined to comment on Hanna's selection when The Gleaner contacted them yesterday.

Gleaner columnist Kevin O'Brien Chang said the Lisa Hanna/South East St. Ann issue is being viewed from two angles.

"It really depends on what hat you are wearing. If you are JLP, it looks like the Prime Minister is panicking and just looking for a big name to fill the seat," he said. "If you are a PNP, it is a show of strong decisive leadership in bringing in a fresh new face for a possible Cabinet position."

JLP has never won the seat

The JLP has never won the South East St. Ann seat in an election. The only time it went in JLP hands was 1983 when then Prime Minister Edward Seaga called a snap election which the PNP refused to contest.

Peter Fakhourie, a hometown boy, is looking to break the drought. The JLP has weighed in on the Hanna controversy. Kingston Mayor Desmond McKenzie said Hanna is heading for a "sinking ship" while party leader Bruce Golding criticised the PNP for "ramming her down the people's throats".

When she accepted Prime Minister Simpson Miller's gesture, Lisa Hanna was still a member of the JLP youth arm, G2K. She is not a registered voter, but that does not prevent her from being a candidate in general elections.

Hanna's political 'career' has been limited to campaigning alongside her former husband and the JLP during the 2002 General Election. However, she has always been socially aware.

For over a decade, Hanna has been active in community work throughout Kingston inner cities such as Jones Town and Denham Town. Currently, she is communications consultant at the Hilton Kingston hotel.

Hanna and Panton split in 2004 shortly after they left for Atlanta, Georgia, where he took up a job with a finance company. In 2004, a judge there gave Panton "physical custody" of their son Alex, which Hanna later appealed.

The local Court of Appeal upheld the ruling in November 2006.