Gleaner Finds The Other Crawford - Candidate Fears For His L

[Skeng DX]

Gleaner Finds The Other Crawford - Candidate Fears For His Life

Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer
By his own admission, the independent candidate for East Rural St Andrew, Damion Omar Crawford is a terrified young man.

After a three-day search, The Gleaner finally located him and he admitted that he had feared being discovered.

Crawford, who on Monday arrived in East Rural St Andrew after his namesake from the People's National Party was nominated, seemed to have disappeared in thin air after submitting his papers and paying the required $3,000 fee.

When The Gleaner finally made contact with the independent candidate yesterday, he was clearly not impressed with the mystique he had created.

For every question asked of him, Crawford was hesitant to respond. "I can't answer that, I have been advised not to speak to the media ... I am not supposed to disclose any information until I get the confirmation by the person who has volunteered to assist me."

The soft-spoken young man disclosed that he could not have guessed that his decision to be nominated would have propelled him under blinding public glare in such a sensational manner.

The independent Crawford mumbled plaintively that disclaimed knowledge of the counter proposal presented on the social network Facebook to the PNP's candidate 3:2:1 educational proposal.

The proposal under the independent candidate's name is dubbed 5:4:3:2:1. "I don't come out with anything like that, I am not aware of these things," he said. "I am not authorised to speak with anybody at this time."

When pressed, Crawford said he would be seeking advice before making his next move. "I will be speaking to one of the respected commissioners of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, about some things.

political threats

Asked if his fear was caused by political threats, Crawford responded in the affirmative. "Yes, and I am preparing to call the political ombudsman, I was given his number and I am going to call him."

He added, "I am not one of those rich persons who has a lot of money. I am a poor, young gentleman. I have to walk on the streets and I fear about my security and that people may attack me."

When The Gleaner inquired if he was approached by anyone to get nominated, Crawford, said, "I was contacted," but quickly retreated.

"As I said, I am not supposed to be disclosing any information, at least at this time… . I have a public-relations person that I am speaking with, so I can't say anything right now, she advised me not to speak to the media."

Crawford seemed hesitant when he was asked what were his plans for election day.

Gleaner: You don't intend to withdraw your nomination?

DOC: Its something that I really want to do but because of the controversy that is happening and the whole heap of speculation.

The Jamaica Labour Party's Joan Gordon-Webley, the member of parliament for the seat from 1980 to 1989, will also be contesting the December 29, general election.

gary.spaulding@gleaner.com

[Skeng DX]

The other Damion Crawford - Mystery candidate stays elusive

DAMION Omar Crawford, the sole independent candidate nominated in the East Rural St Andrew seat, has categorically denied that he was paid by members of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to represent the constituency in an effort to deceive or confuse voters in the upcoming December 29 general election.

The question was put to Crawford by the Sunday Observer in a telephone interview after his surprise nomination to contest the seat last Monday caused rumbles of doubt about his intentions.

By entering the election race in the same constituency as another young man from the People’s National Party (PNP) with the same first name, last name, and middle initial, the independent candidate opened himself up to more than the average scrutiny and has been virtually in hiding from persons who, he feels, may mean him harm, and, he said, from the media.

His elusiveness may have made him even more intriguing, as he claims he has been fending off journalists since he sped away from the nomination centre at the Gordon Town Courthouse in a waiting motor car last Monday, refusing to answer questions being posed to him by journalists on the ground.

He dodged them with a terse “No comment”, before he zipped off in a small car, his equally mysterious troup of supporters packed into a bus ahead of him.

He said later that he was completely unprepared for the glare of the media spotlight.

“I was not briefed on how to deal with members of the media, therefore I chose to remain quiet where the questions were concerned,” he explained.
But how the 39-year-old Crawford came to be running against his namesake in the PNP, and the JLP’s Joan Gordon-Webley to represent citizens in the constituency is simple, according to the candidate.

“I’m self-motivated in making the decision to represent Jamaica, as it has always been my desire to pursue a career in the political field, but I was unaware of the approach and the procedure it entailed,” he explained.
But the young political representative added that his initial interest was sparked even more when he was approached by members of the Gordon Town community several months ago with a request that he represent the community in the upcoming general election. He thought nothing of the request, he said, since he had spent much of his young life serving in one capacity or another.

“That was the beginning of my journey to serve,” he said. He pointed to his résumé as evidence of his constant quest for knowledge and of his life of service. It listed he had been a “trainer of trainers for NGOs at the Council for Voluntary Social Services, and had a slew of certificates including one for having completed an introductory programme in information technology at the North St Andrew Computer Learning Centre, and in front office management at the Stony Hill Heart Academy.

He is an accountant by profession, he said, even though he was reluctant about revealing where he is employed, claiming his employers did not want any media attention.

Crawford said he is also a past student of Ardenne High School and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting and Finance from the University College of the Caribbean.

He is currently pursuing a career MBA in Social Entrepreneurship at another local university and volunteers his services to several charities.

But during the interview with Sunday Observer, it was clear that Crawford is nervous about his fate. He refused to divulge whether he had suffered from any intimidation since offering himself as a candidate, but said he had come under tremendous strain because of the increasing criticism.

Crawford has been difficult to pin down. He was reluctant to visit the offices of the Sunday Observer to take photos and missed a critical meeting with the Electoral Office of Jamaica and his opponents on Friday where the paper had planned to get photos.

The Sunday Observer eventually settled for cellphone photos of himself that he emailed to the newspaper.

He said he has been swamped by persons accusing him of deliberately trying to ruin his namesake’s chances at the polls, and insisted that public utterances, purported to have been made by him, bashing either of his opponents for the seat, are complete fabrications.

He also directed the Sunday Observer to what he said were fake Twitter and Facebook pages with his name.

“There are even pages on the social networks Twitter and Facebook called Damion ‘Lion’ Crawford that I did not create or told anyone to create. I want to clear the air. Everyone needs to know that the comments made on the social network were not made by me, and I have absolutely no idea who the person is that created the page,” Crawford stated.

One of the postings on the Facebook page by the person or persons claiming to be Crawford on Tuesday, December 13, read: “I spent five years helping my community before the PNP sent that young man to “represent the constituency”. He has done no work, does not live here, and cannot possibly represent the interests of people he does not know. Yet he has the audacity to condemn my nomination. The people nominated me, and the PEOPLE will vote based on my track record. Selah”

Hours later, several comments were made under the posting and one of the questions posted, read:

“You say the young man doesn't live there, what about the lady? does she live there?”

The response?

“She does not either, and you will note that one of my core principles is that representation should come from the people. Both the JLP and the PNP send representatives to East Rural St Andrew to gain power in Parliament. They do not understand the people, and they do not know our issues. They create issues and solutions to suit their own ends, then do nothing. I am a child of East Rural, I lived, worked and grew up there. I understand the issues because I live them, each and every day. I encourage you to look at my “5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Plan.” This last comment seemed a parallel reference to the 3,2,1 plan of the other Damion O Crawford’s campaign.

The independent Crawford said the plan on the fake web page is not of his own devising, and he is still in the process of finalising his election platform issues. He hasn’t spoken on any political platform, nor has be done any house-to-house canvassing for votes.

He appealed to the person(s) responsible for creating and posting on the page to terminate them.

“Desist from such fraudulent behaviour, as this has helped to contribute to several rumours that have been tarnishing my reputation,” he urged.

The East Rural St Andrew candidate continued by saying that although the political environment was not what he expected and that he was not prepared for the controversy, he has no intention of withdrawing from the campaign.
“In every great endeavour, there are challenges, and I refuse to back down, as withdrawing would only show that I am weak and don’t have what it takes to represent the people of Gordon Town and Jamaica,” he said.

When asked what are his plans for the constituency, he said he was still assessing his constituents’ needs.

“First of all, I would have to do a needs assessment of the constituency, other than that, most communities want good roads, homework centres for children, centres for skills training for youth as while citizens are not earning, they should be learning,” he said.

He was candid about the impact the mystery that surrounds him will likely have on his candidacy and acceded he might not have much of a chance at taking the seat come polling day.

“Like the other candidates, I am, of course, seeking victory, but in reality, the chances of me wearing the hat of victory are very slim,” he admitted to the Sunday Observer.

Crawford concluded the interview by saying that if he is elected he will give 100 per cent of himself to the people he represents; and if he isn’t, he will continue to serve his country in another capacity.

[Skeng DX]

Dave Oakley Dumbass....kmt...nevr kno mi wud a live fi see this crap...10 JLP Activist Nominated this man...2 a dem drive vehicles covered with Joan"s Picture on a daily bases...what are the odds....??? kmt..Rubbish... dutty politics in a area that it is not necessary...

...

[Exile]

Was he set up? Doesn't sound that stupid.

[Bricktop]

2 a dem drive vehicles covered with Joan"s Picture on a daily bases

One fool mek many...

[Rudi]

So Bricky are you saying the spelling a word incorrectly makes one a fool?

[Mosiah]

He added, "I am not one of those rich persons who has a lot of money. I am a poor, young gentleman.

poor young fool!

[Mosiah]

Bricky clearly lives in a glass house. Him run joke bout people sexuality and when di tables turn, is like di whole east wing a him house pop dung. him mek fun a people intelligence when man spell a word wrong...di west side must pop dung too!

[Sickko]

Him soon come tell you sey it must be "threaded view"

[Skeng DX]

so mi must CHANGE up weh other people seh before mi show them NOW