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BY HG HELPS Editor-at-Large helpsh@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
DETERMINATION seems to be the favourite word of Ann-Marie Evadne Thomas.
Turning up at the nomination centre for St Andrew South West at the Greenwich All-Age School yesterday morning, the procurement officer at the Kingston & St Andrew Corporation had to run four relay legs to eventually reach the finish line, in the nick of time.
After the Jamaica Labour Party's Victor Hyde had turned in his nomination papers to returning officer Andrew Ricketts around 10:45 am, and election officials waited for the one o'clock arrival of incumbent Member of Parliament and leader of the opposition Portia Simpson Miller, up sprung Thomas like a genie emerging from a caressed bottle.
Presenting a 'list' to Ricketts, she was quickly told that much needed to be done for her nomination to be processed.
So off she went, chauffeur-driven in a spanking Honda CRV sports utility vehicle to get things right.
Close to 11:45 am, she was back again, feeling good that she had cured the hiccups that had dogged her on her previous trip.
Yet, again, she was leaving the nomination room, disappointed again that the process could not be started.
"You need to go to the post office to get that information," the returning officer told her.
Thomas was adamant that she had to set matters straight.
"Can you make that wait until I get back," she asked this reporter who sought a comment from her.
Shortly after Simpson Miller left with her entourage around 1:20 pm, Thomas was back again. Alas, once more she was sent back on the road to tend to additional detail surrounding her quest to be nominated.
Those at the location swore that that would have been the last time that they would have seen her on the compound.
"No man, she nah come back. It look like she just ago give up," one man said.
But true to form, the would-be MP was back in the spotlight again. It was then 1:55 pm, a mere five minutes from the close of the nomination day proceedings. The Honda CRV hustled through the entrance gate guarded by police and soldiers, in the manner of a vehicle transporting a passenger trying to catch an aircraft already on the runway.
Still, there were problems. The returning officer and his team began the checking of the names on the voters' list all over again.
Then came the first obstacle. One name on the sheet of paper given to the team was not on the voters' list for that constituency. Thomas was short by one. She had to find a replacement name and do so fast.
Finding a substitute meant that she could not venture outside the precincts of the nomination centre as 2 o'clock was upon her. But as long as she was in the room, she could always call on people to make themselves available for the humungous feat.
She quickly sent an associate to get a registered voter from the area, who came upon a woman from Greenwich Town. Mission accomplished! Thomas had only one more hurdle to clear in the search to find 10 legitimate names.
Another check of the names found that another on Thomas' list was ineligible. Now, things were down to getting just one more name.
"You still need one more person," the returning officer told her.
"See him here," Thomas shot back, pointing to a short man who had just walked into the room.
"Which PD (polling division) is your vote in," Ricketts asked of the man.
"Seaview Gardens (St Andrew West)," he responded.
"But you can't do it, you have to be registered in this constituency," Ricketts poked back.
Almost immediately, a man shouted from outside: "You might be getting one more."
All eyes turned toward the door -- the time: 2:07 pm.
Entering was a petite young woman from a housing estate nearby. Dressed in orange T-shirt bearing the portrait of Simpson Miller and jeans shorts that had men turning from all angles.
"I really appreciate this," Thomas said to the young woman who wore a bewildered look, murmuring once "a hope this nah go affect me chance fi vote fi Portia."
"It doesn't matter if you want to dress in an orange shirt," Thomas said.
"Look here, I am not looking to win. It's just for personal gratification," she said.
At 2:11 pm, all seemed fine for the Western St Mary-born native, who is from the same village of Halifax as popular broadcaster Barrington 'Barry G' Gordon.
"Could I get a piece of tissue?" she asked anyone who was capable of giving.
With perspiration streaming down her face, Thomas paid the $3,000 that she will likely contribute to the Consolidated Fund.
"A hope oonu tek the good side of mi face," the Dunoon Park Technical High School past student told a photographer snapping away.
"I will forever be grateful to everyone who made this possible. This is fun," she said.
"It is my right and I am making sure I exercise my right. I was trying to go with a party and that didn't work out. I thought I was treated unfairly and I said there must be another way. I am an optimist and I believe it can be anybody's game," said the woman who worships at the Pentecostal Tabernacle on Wildman Street in the Jamaican capital.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1gbM8ygwJ
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
DETERMINATION seems to be the favourite word of Ann-Marie Evadne Thomas.
Turning up at the nomination centre for St Andrew South West at the Greenwich All-Age School yesterday morning, the procurement officer at the Kingston & St Andrew Corporation had to run four relay legs to eventually reach the finish line, in the nick of time.
After the Jamaica Labour Party's Victor Hyde had turned in his nomination papers to returning officer Andrew Ricketts around 10:45 am, and election officials waited for the one o'clock arrival of incumbent Member of Parliament and leader of the opposition Portia Simpson Miller, up sprung Thomas like a genie emerging from a caressed bottle.
Presenting a 'list' to Ricketts, she was quickly told that much needed to be done for her nomination to be processed.
So off she went, chauffeur-driven in a spanking Honda CRV sports utility vehicle to get things right.
Close to 11:45 am, she was back again, feeling good that she had cured the hiccups that had dogged her on her previous trip.
Yet, again, she was leaving the nomination room, disappointed again that the process could not be started.
"You need to go to the post office to get that information," the returning officer told her.
Thomas was adamant that she had to set matters straight.
"Can you make that wait until I get back," she asked this reporter who sought a comment from her.
Shortly after Simpson Miller left with her entourage around 1:20 pm, Thomas was back again. Alas, once more she was sent back on the road to tend to additional detail surrounding her quest to be nominated.
Those at the location swore that that would have been the last time that they would have seen her on the compound.
"No man, she nah come back. It look like she just ago give up," one man said.
But true to form, the would-be MP was back in the spotlight again. It was then 1:55 pm, a mere five minutes from the close of the nomination day proceedings. The Honda CRV hustled through the entrance gate guarded by police and soldiers, in the manner of a vehicle transporting a passenger trying to catch an aircraft already on the runway.
Still, there were problems. The returning officer and his team began the checking of the names on the voters' list all over again.
Then came the first obstacle. One name on the sheet of paper given to the team was not on the voters' list for that constituency. Thomas was short by one. She had to find a replacement name and do so fast.
Finding a substitute meant that she could not venture outside the precincts of the nomination centre as 2 o'clock was upon her. But as long as she was in the room, she could always call on people to make themselves available for the humungous feat.
She quickly sent an associate to get a registered voter from the area, who came upon a woman from Greenwich Town. Mission accomplished! Thomas had only one more hurdle to clear in the search to find 10 legitimate names.
Another check of the names found that another on Thomas' list was ineligible. Now, things were down to getting just one more name.
"You still need one more person," the returning officer told her.
"See him here," Thomas shot back, pointing to a short man who had just walked into the room.
"Which PD (polling division) is your vote in," Ricketts asked of the man.
"Seaview Gardens (St Andrew West)," he responded.
"But you can't do it, you have to be registered in this constituency," Ricketts poked back.
Almost immediately, a man shouted from outside: "You might be getting one more."
All eyes turned toward the door -- the time: 2:07 pm.
Entering was a petite young woman from a housing estate nearby. Dressed in orange T-shirt bearing the portrait of Simpson Miller and jeans shorts that had men turning from all angles.
"I really appreciate this," Thomas said to the young woman who wore a bewildered look, murmuring once "a hope this nah go affect me chance fi vote fi Portia."
"It doesn't matter if you want to dress in an orange shirt," Thomas said.
"Look here, I am not looking to win. It's just for personal gratification," she said.
At 2:11 pm, all seemed fine for the Western St Mary-born native, who is from the same village of Halifax as popular broadcaster Barrington 'Barry G' Gordon.
"Could I get a piece of tissue?" she asked anyone who was capable of giving.
With perspiration streaming down her face, Thomas paid the $3,000 that she will likely contribute to the Consolidated Fund.
"A hope oonu tek the good side of mi face," the Dunoon Park Technical High School past student told a photographer snapping away.
"I will forever be grateful to everyone who made this possible. This is fun," she said.
"It is my right and I am making sure I exercise my right. I was trying to go with a party and that didn't work out. I thought I was treated unfairly and I said there must be another way. I am an optimist and I believe it can be anybody's game," said the woman who worships at the Pentecostal Tabernacle on Wildman Street in the Jamaican capital.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1gbM8ygwJ
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