#JaVotes2016: St Thomas Eastern identified as hotspot

By: Admin

Image caption:

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has revealed that eastern St Thomas is one of the areas singled out for special attention.

The Gleaner team came up on a contingent of JDF  personnel at the Airy Castle Post Office in the Port Morant division of eastern St Thomas, but they were quick to point out that it was just a roving patrol.

"Any area that holds more than one polling station; the larger ones we felt that those needed some attention and also tips from the police on areas that they deem as hot spots or concerns raised by their own intelligence. We factored that in too as to where we put soldiers," Major Everton Morgan said.

"St Thomas eastern is one such area and we have chosen around six polling stations where we have had static soldiers from start to finish."

Morgan said he and his team has been visiting the polling stations in the constituency that are not being manned by soldiers.

"We are making sure that everything is OK as it relates to security and citizens can feel free to come out and vote and things are orderly and the rule is maintained and there is no congregation at the entrance of the polling station," Morgan said.  "We are pretty satisfied with what we have seen so far."