Warmington drops political departure hint

The 67-year-old Brown’s Hall native is the only elected Jamaica Labour Party member of parliament for St Catherine South West, serving for 20 years split between two tenures; 1980-1983 and 2002-present.

The firebrand politician entered political activism age 17 and became the youngest elected MP 11 years later.

Earlier this year he was honoured for half a century of service to the party and Jamaican politics.

And for the first time, at least publicly, Warmington talks of bringing to an end a political career which at times was overshadowed by a few public imbroglios that will live long in the memories of many.

“I won’t be around much longer. After 50 years of serving and 20 years as member of parliament, it is now time for me to say farewell,” he said at Sunday’s JLP Area Council Two meeting in Old Harbour. “I want to say it for a long while but I’m not going to say it tonight. But I’ll be back in a little while to say thanks for the love I’ve received from you all, the caring and affection that I’ve received from you all. You’ve been my family and a part of me all these time. Without you I could not have survived this far.”

His comments were greeted with roars of disapproval from the crowd underneath the large white tent and failed to dampen the spirits of party faithfuls on a soggy evening.

Interestingly, however, Warmington did not put a timeline on his departure but appears convinced within himself that his time in politics is coming to an end.

“It was not because of me, it is because of the work, commitment and dedication by all of you to this constituency and I must say thanks to you for the work you’ve done,” added the veteran politician.

“I’ll be here with you for a little while… At 67 I don’t believe that I should stand in the way of a younger person to take over. I don’t want nobody to take me out of Parliament in a wheelchair, I don’t want to reach the stage where they have to put pampers on me and I’m still in Parliament. I must know when to go and when to allow a new leader and a young person to come and take over.”

And whoever succeeds him in the constituency that was created in 1976 will have his support, as he pledges to make St Catherine South West into a JLP fortress.

“I didn’t leave before because I want to build this constituency into what we had in western St Catherine whereby no PNP has ever won western St Catherine from it was created in 1944,” said Warmington.

“Today I’m satisfied that I’ve done the work for my party and for all of you, and have built this constituency in a position where it is impossible for any to win a parish council division in this constituency going forward.

“Having done that, it is time for me to say farewell very shortly, because when I leave I know this seat will be left in the hands of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), and never to be taken again.

“In my office, I’m not JLP MP, I am MP for all who have voted and I have fulfilled that.”