#JAVotes2016: Slow start to voting in Dalvey, St. Thomas

By: Admin

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Twelve votes for the People's National Party (PNP) and seven for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) were the numbers given by the cluster leaders 90 minutes into voting at polling stations 42 A and B in Dalvey, eastern St Thomas.

The PNP's Dr Fenton Ferguson has never won the division though having served as member of parliament for 23 consecutive years. JLP cluster leader, Carlene Steele, does not anticipate the division to change hands as she is confident that her party's representative Delano Seiveright will triumph.

"We are going to have a strong turnout. Wi never lose in our polling division," Steele said. "It has happened every year where in the morning voting is slow."

One of the cluster leaders for the PNP in the area, Ann-Marie Williams, attributed the low early morning turnout to the fact that persons have gone to work.

"Later we will have a better turnout, because most of our sure votes are out in the field," Williams said. "We have mostly cane cutters, some people have gone to work to return and we have elderly persons, who we have to pick up. We are going to win it."

Ferguson won the seat in 2011 by 473 votes over the JLP's Patrece Charles Freeman.

ryon.jones@gleanerjm.com