With 189 candidates nominated, JLP and PNP brace for fierce electoral clash Jamaica’s two main political parties are claiming to have the greater momentum on the ground, two weeks out from a general election that is expected to be fie

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Source: Jamaica Gleaner

Image caption: Warren Newby
As the September 3 general election approaches, Clarendon North Western is shaping up to be one of the constituencies to watch, with veteran politician Richard Azan seeking a return to Parliament, and newcomer Warren Newby pledging to chart a new course.
Azan, the People’s National Party (PNP) candidate and former member of parliament, expressed confidence that history will not repeat itself.
“What happened before, will not happen again,” he declared, reflecting on his 2020 defeat to the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Phillip Henriques.
Azan, who secured the seat in 2016 with a margin of more than 900 votes, was unseated in a shock result four years later. The outcome, which stunned many, led to a judicial recount, which ultimately confirmed Henriques’ victory.
However, since then, residents have been openly critical of Henriques’ stewardship, accusing him of neglecting the constituency, and being absent since taking office. For Azan, the experience has been a sobering lesson for voters.
“The people of north west Clarendon have learnt a good lesson, that they shouldn’t look for outsiders, who don’t have an address in north western Clarendon,” he said at his nomination at the Frankfield Resource Centre, where he was joined by his young son, grandson, and a large crowd of supporters.
Azan argued that while the PNP could campaign on tangible achievements, the governing party had little to show for its time in the constituency.
“I can identify what I have done in north western Clarendon. I would like the [Jamaica] Labour Party to show what they have done. In the last five years, the prime minister could not cut a ribbon in north western Clarendon. They could only cut ribbon for bad roads,” he stated.
Despite his loss, Azan maintained that he never abandoned the people he once represented, and his commitment never wavered.
“I never left. Win, lose or draw, I’m still here,” he affirmed.
However JLP candidate Warren Newby has dismissed Azan’s claims of strength, insisting that his own presence has already shifted the political ground.
“People are tired of his gimmickry. He’s going to be crushed in the next election,” Newby said, while accusing PNP supporters of deliberately blocking the road with their vehicles to delay his nomination.
Presenting himself as a fresh and energetic alternative, Newby pointed to early initiatives he had undertaken in the constituency, including road and pipe repairs, and the renovation of a community centre. He outlined broader plans focused on education, agriculture, and infrastructure.
“What these communities need is an economic transformation, because the income levels are low, and because of that, people become very frustrated quite easily,” he explained. Newby added that his proposals include the development of agro-processing factories “to transfer wealth back to our farmers”.
Asked about Azan’s experience as a veteran politician, Newby remained resolute. He insisted he is undaunted by the challenge and is “100 per cent confident” of victory when voters go to the polls on September 3.
Both candidates appear to have strong support on the ground. Some residents are rallying behind Azan, arguing that he had served the constituency well, and deserved another chance. Others, however, believe that Phillip Henriques’ poor performance during his term could cast a shadow over his successor, Warren Newby, despite Newby being regarded by many as a genuine and capable candidate.
For others, whichever candidate emerges the winner on September 3, signals a win for the constituency.
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