ST. THOMAS: NOMINATION DAY for Local Government election in eastern St. Thomas was a smooth and incident-free affair. The atmosphere was of a celebratory nature as the candidates from the various political parties went to be nominated at the Morant Bay Courthouse.

The first candidate to be nominated was 47-year-old businessman Trevor Webley of the NDM contesting the Dalvey division seat. Mr. Webley contested the seat for Member of Parliament for east St. Thomas in the last general election but was unsuccessful.

Four candidates for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and four from the People's National Party (PNP) were nominated to contest the seats for councillors in east St. Thomas. Fifty-three-year old attorney-at-law Richard Bonner of the JLP will be running in the Morant Bay Division against 44-year-old social worker Rosemarie Shaw of the PNP who has done four terms as Councillor.

CONTESTED

The Dalvey division seat is being contested by 43-year-old businessman Victor Hutchinson of the PNP and 59-year-old businessman Berest-ford Steele of the JLP who has been representing the Division since the last Local Government election in 1998.

The JLP's Clive Smith who represented the Port Morant Division has stepped down to allow 39-year-old Michael Hue, businessman, to contest the seat and he will be going up against 48-year-old teacher Everton Sealey of the PNP.

The Bath division is being contested by 53-year-old farmer Denville Whittle of the JLP and 50-year-old computer analyst Lancelot Comrie of the PNP who has been representing the division since the last Local Government election and who is also Deputy Mayor.

With the exception of Mr. Steele the other three candidates for the JLP in east St. Thomas are newcomers and two of the PNP's candidates are also newcomers.

Julette Bryan