Tweet
Clearly, Abe had not carefully researched the fate of the previous JLP turncoats in West Portland, which has not just folks in the coastal towns of Buff Bay, Hope Bay, St Margaret's Bay, Orange Bay and Windsor Castle, but also the farmers in the picturesque hinterland with colourful place names like Chepstowe, Tranquility, Ythanside, Skibo, Bangor Ridge, Fruitful Vale, Cuffie Head, Claverty Cottage, Spring Hill and Paradise.
Long before Dabdoub got to West Portland, Daryl Vaz had penetrated these areas, interacting with the people, showing care, concern and dedication to an area largely neglected over the years. After the KSAC experience, Vaz had taken a long hiatus from politics, then together with his dad, Douglas, re-surfaced in the mid '90s as participants in the NDM experiment.
real talent
But his real talent as a political organiser and super fund-raiser came to the fore when he emerged as one of the dynamic young turks in the JLP who masterminded the 2001 JLP by-election victory in North East St Ann, as well as victories in key parishes like Portland in the 2003 parochial elections. By the time Vaz was officially named the JLP candidate for West Portland in 2007, his reputation as a hard worker was cemented and his attention and service to the people and the area's infrastructure even before he was elected, perhaps far exceeded the achievements of some of the previous representatives.
In the end, the '07 contest became far more popular for its sensationalism than for the substance of Dabdoub's challenge and the outcome which was always expected, was only marginally less than was anticipated.
So, here we are now with another contest in West Portland after only 17 months and unexpectedly without Dabdoub, but how will this differ much from the previous encounter? In his failed quest to be awarded a second seat through the courts, Dabdoub also failed to qualify as a winnable candidate for the second bout and had to be yanked out of contention by the party when their polls revealed that he would be 'massacred' by Vaz in the by-election. Which is hardly surprising, considering that Abe's political image had hardly improved beyond being just a spoiler who rose from the ashes of defeat to get in his potent 'last lick' with the [COLOR=orange ! important][COLOR=orange ! important]citizenship[/COLOR][/COLOR] issue, and not really perceived as showing any serious concern for the people's welfare.
understandable
The disappointment expressed by Vaz in not facing Dabdoub again is understandable, and is one that has resonated with many Jamaicans who were looking forward to his next match-up with Dabdoub. But it was really commendable and very good public relations to see the PNP and its new candidate coming out with such spunk and showing such a positive front when, with some justification, he is simply viewed by Vaz as a 'redundant labourite'.
The facade will be crucial for Kenneth Rowe, whose selection is already an anticlimax, and it might prevent what could actually be a one-horse race with Vaz, not being able to 'ketch Quaco', is now well poised to 'ketch 'im shut'. In such a contest on March 23, it will be difficult to envisage Rowe's chances any better than Dabdoub's were in September 2007.
The stark reality facing the Rowe/PNP camp is the political mettle Vaz has shown in his short stint as member of parliament and junior minister. His sustained efficiency and panache for service, not just to West Portland, but actually to the whole parish.
Historically, most of the parliamentary by-elections have resulted in the seats returning to the incumbent party. Of the 36 conducted since adult suffrage, only 10 (or 28 per cent) have been won by the JLP, with one taken from the PNP. Their 25 victories (69 per cent) have resulted in only two captured from the JLP and the last occasion was 53 years ago! With this by-election, it is highly unlikely that this is a record on which the PNP can place any real hope of improvement. And in its aftermath, the best they can hope for is that, unlike the other turncoats in the past, Kenneth will stick steadfastly to the role of caretaker and do not row off somewhere else or into the realm of political obscurit
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...us/focus5.html
Long before Dabdoub got to West Portland, Daryl Vaz had penetrated these areas, interacting with the people, showing care, concern and dedication to an area largely neglected over the years. After the KSAC experience, Vaz had taken a long hiatus from politics, then together with his dad, Douglas, re-surfaced in the mid '90s as participants in the NDM experiment.
real talent
But his real talent as a political organiser and super fund-raiser came to the fore when he emerged as one of the dynamic young turks in the JLP who masterminded the 2001 JLP by-election victory in North East St Ann, as well as victories in key parishes like Portland in the 2003 parochial elections. By the time Vaz was officially named the JLP candidate for West Portland in 2007, his reputation as a hard worker was cemented and his attention and service to the people and the area's infrastructure even before he was elected, perhaps far exceeded the achievements of some of the previous representatives.
In the end, the '07 contest became far more popular for its sensationalism than for the substance of Dabdoub's challenge and the outcome which was always expected, was only marginally less than was anticipated.
So, here we are now with another contest in West Portland after only 17 months and unexpectedly without Dabdoub, but how will this differ much from the previous encounter? In his failed quest to be awarded a second seat through the courts, Dabdoub also failed to qualify as a winnable candidate for the second bout and had to be yanked out of contention by the party when their polls revealed that he would be 'massacred' by Vaz in the by-election. Which is hardly surprising, considering that Abe's political image had hardly improved beyond being just a spoiler who rose from the ashes of defeat to get in his potent 'last lick' with the [COLOR=orange ! important][COLOR=orange ! important]citizenship[/COLOR][/COLOR] issue, and not really perceived as showing any serious concern for the people's welfare.
understandable
The disappointment expressed by Vaz in not facing Dabdoub again is understandable, and is one that has resonated with many Jamaicans who were looking forward to his next match-up with Dabdoub. But it was really commendable and very good public relations to see the PNP and its new candidate coming out with such spunk and showing such a positive front when, with some justification, he is simply viewed by Vaz as a 'redundant labourite'.
The facade will be crucial for Kenneth Rowe, whose selection is already an anticlimax, and it might prevent what could actually be a one-horse race with Vaz, not being able to 'ketch Quaco', is now well poised to 'ketch 'im shut'. In such a contest on March 23, it will be difficult to envisage Rowe's chances any better than Dabdoub's were in September 2007.
The stark reality facing the Rowe/PNP camp is the political mettle Vaz has shown in his short stint as member of parliament and junior minister. His sustained efficiency and panache for service, not just to West Portland, but actually to the whole parish.
Historically, most of the parliamentary by-elections have resulted in the seats returning to the incumbent party. Of the 36 conducted since adult suffrage, only 10 (or 28 per cent) have been won by the JLP, with one taken from the PNP. Their 25 victories (69 per cent) have resulted in only two captured from the JLP and the last occasion was 53 years ago! With this by-election, it is highly unlikely that this is a record on which the PNP can place any real hope of improvement. And in its aftermath, the best they can hope for is that, unlike the other turncoats in the past, Kenneth will stick steadfastly to the role of caretaker and do not row off somewhere else or into the realm of political obscurit
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...us/focus5.html
Comment