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Nakinskie Robinson reports
By Nakinskie Robinson
It will be an interesting showdown at the local government poll for the Papine division in the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation come February 26.
During Thursday's nomination activities at Mona High School, there was a sea of orange and a downpour of green.
Darrington Ferguson was met with resounding cheers from the flood of PNP supporters at Mona High after his nomination.
Mr. Ferguson, who is in the hot seat, said Papine belongs to the PNP.
"The PNP will retain the Papine division. We will be having a campaign of love, we will be having a campaign of peace, but at the same time we will be fighting for what we believe in - the principles of the People's National Party. I will be having a website to make sure that the division and those on social media that know how to use the technology can always communicate with the office of the councillor. I will be providing an office and I will be making sure that our disability citizens will be aggressively supported by the state," he pledged.
His supporters, who were busy dancing with excitement, also agreed.
Just after the PNP made its exit, a rush of green marched down Mona Road - the ringing of the bell signalling their arrival.
After settling in, a former JLP councillor for the Mona division, George Planto, declared he would be running as an independent candidate.
"I do have a fair shot, but my focus is not on the fair shot. My focus is giving individuals an opportunity for another choice. And for me, it is about the people. I love serving the people, and so that is why I made this decision," he told Radio Jamaica News.
He ran and lost on the JLP ticket in 2016 against then PNP Councillor Venesha Phillips.
Then she appeared - the woman who has made headlines for the last few weeks for her new political alignment.
Ms. Phillips represented the PNP in 2012 and 2016.
But she believes she is a councillor for the people and is certain she can do a three-peat, while flying the JLP banner.
"You see the anticipation of victory because they want the work to continue. They know the work that I've been giving them, even when I wore another colour shirt. And so, they are anticipating even more because it is still their Ven - someone who believes in service, someone who believes that the people at the grassroot level need somebody who really understand and empathise with their situation."
She maintained that the community needs love and unity, and vowed she along with Member of Parliament Fayval Williams can provide that.
One of her supporters said it will be a mammoth task to unseat Ms. Phillips, who he touted as "not a JLP or a PNP; she is a people's people".
The general consensus from stakeholders is that the day's operations ran smoothly with no major disruptions.