IF KEITH Hinds were a boxer, he would have been a heavyweight contender; his challenger for the job of Portmore Mayor, incumbent George Lee, may fit into the lightweight category.

Fortunately, though, both are civilised men and despite swipes at each other they stayed far from coming to blows at a Gleaner Editors' Forum yesterday.

Tomorrow both men face off in a rematch in a ring which pits Lee, the only directly elected mayor in the country, against Hinds who is making a second bid for the title.

First directly elected mayor

In 2003, Lee, a member of the People's National Party (PNP), became Jamaica's first directly elected mayor when he polled 8,428 votes to the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Hinds' 7,374 for a victory margin of 1,054 votes.

Mr. Hinds was the more aggressive at yesterday's Editors' Forum at the newspaper company's North Street, central Kingston, offices. But the verdict is still out as to whether his big shots were more effective than Mr. Lee's sharp jabs.

Almost from nowhere, Mr. Hinds threw a straight left at Mr. Lee by grading him a meagre four out of 10 for performance.

"The municipality and the Mayor of Portmore are not necessarily there to clear drains. There is a dynamism about Portmore. You need to have somebody who has a drive and the energy to bring the forces in Portmore together," Mr. Hinds said.

Better thinker

He later outlined his plans for Portmore and questioned whether Portmore residents will benefit from the building of a private hospital there. Mr. Hinds told the Editors' Forum that he is a better thinker and would do a better job as mayor.

"I don't want to take it to the stage to say that my mayor does not have the capacity to think, but I don't think he can think like a Keith Hinds," the JLP mayoral candidate said.

Mr. Lee was unfazed but would not allow Mr. Hinds to get away with his big punch.

Said he: "When Mr. Hinds talk about capacity, it's a problem. Mr. Hinds wasn't around when we lobbied for municipality. He wasn't a part of it; did not contribute and I doubt he could have done it. To make the municipality work for the last three years, it took management. We had no money. It's like a baby you have to nurse and he could not have done it."

And if that was not enough, Mr. Lee made Mr. Hinds a grand promise.

"I can guarantee you that I will get at least 1,000 Labour votes ... and I am going to beat you on your road (in the Hellshire division)," Mr. Lee said.

- D.L.