Glendon Harris wants to replace Kellier

Despite having lost his parish council seat in the last Local Government elections, former mayor for Montego Bay, Glendon Harris, is his eyes set on becoming the next Member of Parliament for South St James.

The People’s National’s Party's Derrick Kellier has held the seat since 1989, but he is set to retire from politics due to health reasons.

“The member of parliament has indicated to me that I need to go and out build, and has been giving me the support to enhance that process to ensure that we have a victory for the People’s National Party (PNP),” Harris told the WESTERN STAR.

The former mayor said too that Kellier has endorsed him as his successor. At least two other persons, Kellier's brother Martin Kellier and communications specialist Huntley Meadley have expressed an interest in the seat.

Kellier barely hang on to the seat in the last general election, beating the Jamaica Labour Party's Homer Davis by 62 votes.

However, despite tasting defeat by 81 votes in the Maroon Town Division during the Local Government elections held in November 2016,  Harris is confident that he will achieve is goal. Before his defeat, Derrick Kellier served as councillor for 26 years.

“That is behind us now and behind the people and behind me, and we are moving forward,” he said.

Harris claims that he has strong support on both side of the political fence.

He said is decision to make himself available for representational politics at the national level because of his close attachment to the constituency.

“I’ve been serving the people all my life. Born there, grow there, went to college and came back there and was serving the people and there are things there that I would love to get done,” he shared.

He says if he is successful, high on his agenda would be more commercial farming and agro-processing, proper infrastructure including water, roads, electricity and an upgrade play fields and community centres or establish them in areas where there are none.

“I want to ensure that each area has the potential of properly moulding our future,” he explained.