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32%
21%
15%
13%
11%
4% 4%
Chart 4: Primary Reasons to Vote for the JLP in South-west St. Elizabeth
Family Tradition (15)
Want to change the Government (10)
Want to change the MP (7)
Political Participation (6)
Candidate (5)
Party Leader (2)
Hand-out (2)
Candidacy: Personality and Attitude, Ability to Mobilize, Performance or Plans
In this constituency the candidate is the third most important reason to vote (behind tradition and
political participation). Hugh Buchanan was described by 2 PNP activists as a ‘mixed bag’; and Floyd
Green was described by a JLP activist as “Not Tufton.” The data in Chart 5 support these 2 epigrams. Of
the 131 persons interviewed 29 expressed that they had interacted directly with Hugh Buchanan at least
once; and choose to comment on his personality and attitude. Eighteen (62%) either liked him or
defended him. These were mostly women (11) and mature males (6). Only one young male expressed
that he liked the MP. The problem for young men is that they are the most likely to have a clash with the
MP who they described as “moody…and too blunt…him have manners to the elders and treat women
well, but wid we who are about his age or younger, him drop it without filter.” Floyd Green was liked
across all groups by three-quarters of the 25 persons who claimed they had interacted with him. They
described him as bright, confident, friendly – but complained that he sometimes “speak above people’s
head…and that not good for politicians… out here is not law school. He needs a dose of earthiness!Him
have to learn to flex more and him have to move fast at it.” All the complaints came from poor
residents.
In the PNP areas and Mountainside Hugh Buchanan got high praises for his contribution to community
development (7), schools (5), and families (6). However, there were 26 complaints from residents of the
south coast resort villages of Parotteeand Treasure Beach. The main complaint was related to the very