Three-way fight in St Lucy

After ousting the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) from St Lucy after 37 years of representation, Peter Phillips made it clear on Monday he has no intention of surrendering his record.

In fact, he told reporters after settling the business of his nomination at the Daryll Jordan Secondary School that he was focused on completing his mission.

“The people will determine whether they want to return to a position of having nothing, of nothing happening in St Lucy. A new day has dawned in Lucy from 43 months ago and they are continuing in that same vein,” Phillips said.

“We have done a number of projects. I have worked with the BLP administration ensuring that the people of St Lucy get what they have always longed for, what they truly deserve as persons in the northernmost part of the country and as we move forward, we expect to be dealing with a number of other things.”

But DLP President Verla De Peiza, who is seeking to represent the constituency in Parliament, suggested there was discontent about Phillip’s performance.

“It is clear that the dissatisfaction with the Government did not take long to set in and let’s face it, it was a series of own goals that brought them to that point and our people are very pleased to have the opportunity to signal their discontent earlier than they expected,” she said.

The third candidate vying for the seat, Wayne Griffith of the Alliance Party for Progress (APP), said he too was learning of the discontent on the ground.

However, he suggested that residents are not on board with the DLP, but were in search of fresh, decisive leadership.

“I believe that having new parties like the APP out there now as an option, people will start to re-evaluate that position and go out and vote, so we are going to be encouraging persons to go out there and vote.

“I think that people are looking for new policies and new development ideas, the traditional thing is played out,” Griffith said. (SD)