'Jobson jumps ship' - Moves to represent PNP

— in local gov't elections

BY HORACE HINES Observer West reporter

Thursday, January 19, 2012

FALMOUTH, Trelawny - Former Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for North Trelawny Christopher Jobson have applied to the People's National Party (PNP) Trelawny executive to be the ruling party's representative in the Wakefield division.

"I have applied to be the candidate for the division but I haven't gotten a response as yet. But the response of the people is more than overwhelming,"Jobson told the Observer West.

Jobson, a Trelawny businessman, lost in his bid to represent the North Trelawny seat in the 2002 general election, when he was defeated by the PNP's Dr Patrick Harris by a majority of 1,189 votes.

Yesterday, secretary of the PNP's North Trelawny constituency, Phillip Service, confirmed that he had received Jobson's application.

"I have gotten an application from him," said Service, who is also the councillor (PNP) for the Martha Brae division of the Trelawny Parish Council.

The former JLP candidate who said that he has already submitted his application for membership in the PNP, claims that his decision to cross "the political floor" was in response to numerous calls, especially from young voters in the Wakefiled division.

The division is currently held by former Mayor of Falmouth, councillor Jonathan Bartley (JLP), who convincingly won the two previous elections, defeating the PNP's Donald Kindness and Lorna Thorpe, respectively.

Charles McKenzie who has been the PNP's chairman and caretaker for the division for more than a year was not prepared to comment on the latest development when he was contacted by the Observer West.

But at least one PNP North Trelawny executive member is already vehemently opposed to Jobson's intention to represent the party.

"I am strongly objecting to his candidacy on the grounds that from the 2007 election he had expressed an interest to join the PNP and when the Comrade leader (Portia Simpson Miller) was in Falmouth in 2007 and he was invited on the platform, he refused," said the constituency executive, who requested anonymity.

"And since that time he did not express anymore interest in the PNP at all. He was not seen again until at the (general election) victory celebration on December 29 so it is just recently he is again showing interest," he argued.

But Jobson said that he was prepared to set aside his candidacy "for the time being" to avoid controversy, insisting however, that he has matured politically and is suitable to represent the division.

"As a man who represented the JLP in 2002 I have learnt a lot and know what representational politics is all about. Also, I have realised after the election on December 29 general election that the people not joking, so you have to give them good representation," he argued.

He declared that road repairs would be his number one priority, if given a chance to represent the division.

The 39 year- old Jobson maintained that he possesses the ammunition to defeat Bartley, someone who he claims he was instrumental in recruiting to contest the division for the first time in 2003.

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COMMENTS (14)

0o k
1/24/2012

Eat a food to noh......might as well?

James St. John
1/22/2012

Waggonist???????? Maybe not..............

Froggy D
1/19/2012

Jumping ship! Is the ship sinking or is it opportunity knocking?
I notice that Clovis is donning Mr Holness in an armour, who is he going to pretend to be, Don Quixote? Mr Holness never did address the corruption in his own party, and there is still time to do so, yet here he is being forced into a knight's suit to play saviour with one eye closed. In three years his party displayed one of he most dispicable act of corruption and he is yet to address that.

Jus Irie
1/19/2012

Nichalas Henry, it's unfortunate you don't see the irony in the negative tone of your comments. The man party lose election and all of a sudden he turn into a doomsday preacher. A majority of voters in the country disagree with you politically and you denounce them as "hustlers". Sir, you are arrogance and hubris personified.

enquiring mind
1/19/2012

He is a former member of a party, contested an election in 2002 but it wasn't until December 29 2011 that he realized the "people are not joking"...and he wants us to take him seriously?
The joke is on him.

R Oaches
1/19/2012

Had he done this b4 the election outcome, it would have been seen to be genuine and I could respect such a desire. Howevere, doing so now just shows him to be a wagonist with NO SHAME !!

tickyticky fish
1/19/2012

Opportunist.

J J
1/19/2012

Cuz how could you!!, but I suppose it was only a matter of time, You were never fully comitted after all and is just looking for a way in by any means necessary. If it is so easy for you to switch then maybe you will switch back just as easy. Get out of politics both parties need committed people

Nicolas Henry
1/19/2012

That's why I conclude that JA will never be better. Majority of the ppl that live and vote there, to me are just "Hustlers" "Eat a food" that care abt eating today and hoping for tmrw: no long term goals planned, the politicians both PNP & JLP know that, but the PNP has mastered the heart of taking advantage of that.
The poor need to respect themselves & end their cycle of poverty by not having many kids they can't afford, then looking for politician to help them with of their moral demise.

Nicolas Henry
1/19/2012

I saw a TV news clip,KD Knight already warning the ppl of St Elizabeth not to expect miracles from their MPS in the parish. Mr Knight is a smart politician to the bone. Why didn't he tell the ppl that before the vote. I guess d PNP will revearse Tufton order on the Increase net size, that fishermen may use & restart the "scrap metal" trade. Tufton increas the net size to save baby fishes to replenish the fish population the fishermen unelect him cuz they want "eat food today" hpe for food tmrw.

Nicolas Henry
1/19/2012

No need to jump on the sinking ship. Jmcns that elected the PNP will be in for a rude awakening. The husling metality ppl that are waiting for the Jeep, should know that beg watr cant boil cow foot. The PNP is looking to use borrowed $$ to fund crash program wrk, but the Chinese that lent JA the $ wnt have none of that. The cut promised in GCT on light bill, is only for consumers that consume over 150 KWH mnthly, most users consumes way less. So they will soon see the true reality of the vote.

Nicolas Henry
1/19/2012

He declared that road repairs would be his number one priority, if given a chance to represent the division.
Winning a seat is ur priority. After seeing the PNP's clean sweep you now figure that to win a seat you must join the PNP. How & where will you get the money to do road repairs when JA produces nothing. We can't keep barrowing to fix roads & fund the budget. We must build a sound ecnmy ground up, a ecnmy that's sustainable, & can support infrastructure project & revenue for the budget.

Al Vanawic
1/19/2012

Mr. Tufton should put in his application too. He definitely does not have the arrogant charateristics of the JLP.

Justin Wright
1/19/2012

Let him join, there will be situations like this from time to time. He has expressed the desire to defeat this guy he brought in on the JLP ticket, now the PNP won and he felt he can improve the peoples lives, I would put aside the petty differences, he may have declined the invite from Portia, but timing is everything. However, his action depicts a wagonist. If the PNP had lost the election, would he still want to join? I hope he knows what he wants, let the people speak. Its people power time.

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'Jobson jumps ship' - Moves to represent PNP