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By Nakinskie Robinson
It will be an intense battle for leadership in the Morant Bay division between the People's National party's, Rosemarie Shaw and the Jamaica Labour Party's Winston Downie, after the seat became vacant following the passing of the PNP's Rohan Bryan in April.
The by-election was marred by controversy, with several reports of voter suppression, intimidation and political rampage unfolding from both sides of the political divide.
A by-election is typically the calmest of the three major elections, but St. Thomas, which has been given the unenviable title of the forgotten parish, was abuzz with activity on Friday.
Before election activities began, late Thursday night leading into Friday morning shots rang out from sections of the Lyssons area and People's National Party paraphernalia was destroyed by thugs.
As the day progressed accusations of intimidation from both major political parties reached fever pitch.
While at Lyssons Primary School, political liaison officer for the PNP, Maria Brown, told Radio Jamaica News that she and other poll watchers were wrongfully accused of voter suppression and disrupting polling station proceedings.
"Mr. Dean Jones, come and say that we're intimidating (JLP) people and we have a riot down here.... The soldiers and the police [are] not aware of it. The indoor agent, his indoor agent, let them know that it's not true; they're not aware of it either."
At another polling station, the Morant Bay Primary School, a JLP political liaison officer accused PNP supporters of disregarding electoral policy.
She said several supporters of Ms. Shaw sought to mark what they believed was their territory with strips of orange cloth, in close proximity to the polling station.
Tensions further heightened in the afternoon as JLP supporters squared off with police officers after they alleged that unknown faces were entering polling stations.
Despite the eventful day, after casting her ballot, PNP candidate Rosemarie Shaw said she remains humble but confident about her prospects of returning to councillorship.
Additionally, Ms. Shaw said she came into election day fearful of possible retaliation from her supporters after JLP voters allegedly "went on a rampage of intimidation" on Thursday evening.
"Party supporters put up their flags, I put up my billboards and those were chopped down, and gunfire fire. And that has been reported to the police," she said, adding that she encouraged her supporters against "going down that road" of retaliation.
But when asked about the JLP's involvement in disorderly conduct, high ranking member of the party and West Portland MP, Daryl Vaz, sought to absolve party supporters of any wrongdoings, noting that such actions do more harm than good.
Efforts to contact Mr. Downie for a comment on the matter were unsuccessful.
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