Former JLP councillor to run as independent in Old Harbour North

Expectations are high that the Andrew Holness-led government will, in short order, announced the date for the local polls with both major political parties ratcheting up campaign activities on the ground and declaring their readiness.

Notwithstanding the duopoly of the JLP and the People’s National Party (PNP), the presence of independent candidates entering the political ring come with its usual intrigue or skepticism if you may.

Agriculture consultant Gerval Weir has opted to add his own spice to the Old Harbour North Division presently being held by the JLP’s Keith Knight, who is aiming for a second consecutive term.

Knight’s main challenge is expect to come from businessman Adrian Samuda, but Weir believes he can upset the form book.

In an Old Harbour News exclusive, Weir calls for improved access to agricultural lands to spur economic development given Old Harbour’s rapid rise in its population and tourism.

Weir also believes his time spent as councillor of the Church Pen Division between 2003 and 2007 has made him fit for the job to serve the people yet again.

“Some of the things that the councillor might be instructed to carry out is: go to community meetings, visit schools, be motivated in finding jobs for people and all those type of things,” he said.

“I don’t see those types of things taking place where they would come and say ‘oh a decision has taken place’. ‘Did they consult with us?’ I don’t see that happening.” 

During his reign as councillor, Weir said he was one of the best performers. He listed some of his achievements back then such as:

• • Acquiring 25 lands for the establishment of an animal pound
• • Ridding some areas of Old Harbour of the cancer-causing asbestos pipes
• • Acquiring three 40-foot containers of medical supplies from Houston, Texas for distribution to hospitals, health centres in St Catherine

“I was a representative from the Parish Council on the health department board and when I go to the meetings I heard the doctors and nurses complaining that they can’t get an incinerator and they can’t get an incubator.

“I went to every department in the hospital and write down the things needed, along with Dr [Raymoth] Notice,” he said.

He said he was able to leverage is time spent in Texas, where he studied agricultural science at Tuskegee University and South Texas University, to organize medical missions to provide needed care to constituents in Church Pen and acquire funding to assist “two basic schools” in the division.

As councillor, Weir noted, he advocated against the Chinese Government’s proposal to transform the Goat Islands into a major transshipment hub.

He claimed: “The intention of the Chinese was to dredge the Portland Bight area from Rocky Point to Kingston to a depth of 120 feet to accommodate ships carrying even 10,000 cars at a time; and to put up a coal-fired power plant that would have affected our health and destroy our fishing village of Old Harbour Bay.”

“I deserve to be sent back to Parish Council. And I have been getting calls from friends from the Parish Council, saying try and come back.

“I am very confident because I know the number one need of those people over the years has been to get land. I plough land for them, but we have been using primitive tools to work and I am going to try my utmost best [to get those person better tools to farm].

“I am going to be a voice for the people so I am pretty confident.

“I know I don’t have the funds like them but God is with me and He understands and I believe He is working with me.”
Weir also believes the quality of the candidates now serving has fallen below expectations.

He said: “We must let people look up to us and don’t look down on us in shame.”
Weir is the second ex-JLP councillor to come out publicly that will contest the local government elections as an independent candidate.

Last year Esworth ‘Kojack’ Frankson told Old Harbour News that he will be contesting the polls as an independent in the Old Harbour Central Division after he was rejected by JLP delegates.

Frankson had served the division on a JLP ticket before crossing the floor in the council after falling out of favour with Member of Parliament Everald Warmington.

Warmington and Weir could not set aside their internal differences leading up to the 2007 parochial polls, which saw the latter being replaced by Mark O’Connor on the ballot.