Alton Duhaney stresses unity

ALTON DUHANEY, 37, a businessman, is an independent candidate for Mayor of the Municipality of Portmore which is made up of more than 60 communities in St. Catherine south, south-east and south-central.

According to Mr. Duhaney, who received his high school education at Trench Town Comprehensive, Kingston, and at the College of Arts, Science and Technology (now the University of Technology), Papine, St. Andrew, times have changed, and it is now time for the people of Portmore to step forward in self-governance and allow the rest of Jamaica to realise the strength of people-power.

"We have the ability to drive our own success in a participatory manner," he states in his campaign brochure. "We must govern from the community by the residents, for the residents."

His mission as mayor, he says, would be to provide the highest level of management to the Portmore community in a transparent and people-driven manner.

A resident of Portmore himself, he says he listens to the residents, and knows their needs and desires. "I strongly believe in the citizens of Portmore. I know that we can all work together as a team to build a better Jamaica, rather than fulfil political expediencies.

"With this in mind, Portmore can be one of the greatest cities in this hemisphere. We all know that based on the type of politics being practised in Jamaica, we need to take an independent approach to governance. This is the opportunity to make a move in creating a model society."

The managing director of a car mart, Mr. Duhaney describes himself as a community leader "in touch with the common man," who he says, is going to make a difference.

He views his candidature as "taking a bold step forward," and says he aims to make a difference in creating a better life for all the people of Portmore "through community governance."

A man giving representation based on understanding "is going to be key," he says, as he urges the electorate "to make the right choice as we work together with you, in lobbying to ensure the development of the people and infrastructure."

This is not Mr. Duhaney's fist attempt at getting into representative politics. He ran as an independent candidate in the 1997 General Election.

Q: What are your chances of winning this time?

Mr. Duhaney: For now I am just leaving it to the Lord. The Lord will decide who will be the Mayor of Portmore. I think this is very important to the country. At first I believed that I was on top in the campaign but now I just decide to leave the rest of it to the Lord to decide that.

Q: Are you a churchman man?

Mr. Duhaney: Yes, indeed I am.

He added that he grew up in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

And Mr. Duhaney has a basic message he is selling to the voters of Portmore:

"It's very important that the citizens must recognise that for us to move forward and to let Portmore really grow, we will have to have an independent person who can get co-operation from all sides. We are divided into different groups here in Jamaica and also in Portmore and the Mayor must be able to gain the confidence and get co-operation and unity from all sides to make sure it (the municipality) works properly. I just want us to work together as a team to make Portmore grow because most of the candidates have plans for Portmore but those plans can't be effective unless we can unite Portmore and allow it to grow in the interests of everyone."

He lists the sectors he says he would target for improvement as Mayor of Portmore:

Infrastructure; drains, roads; water and sewage ­ treatment; health and education; tourism; entertainment and sport; beautification and public recreation; landscaping and parks; production and business development; finance and economic management; transportation ­ rail, road, water and air.

Also, he would revitalise residents' associations and community organisations to ensure the airing of the voices of the people of Portmore.

Holding his concentration too, Mr. Duhaney says, would be the development of the potential of the youth through sport, especially netball, football, volleyball, table tennis and cricket, to ensure the curbing of crime. "The youth are our future and we must begin to ensure their positive development now," says Mr. Duhaney who is president of Grange Star Police Youth Club and of the Portmore Progressive Youth Club.

"Our elderly are our parents, and represent our history and points of learning. Together we will ensure their welfare and ultimate care in their golden age."

Where will he get funding from to undertake all these projects?

Mr. Duhaney: From a proportion of our tax dollar; social development agencies; cash-generating community development projects and private investors with capital.

Mr. Duhaney is married.