PNP enlists retired cop Steve McGregor to reclaim Kingston Central

In a bold move to reclaim Kingston Central, the People's National Party (PNP) has enlisted retired crimefighter Steve McGregor as their new standard-bearer.

McGregor, who retired as senior superintendent of police after a 40-year career, steps in following the withdrawal of Lawrence Rowe. The party says that McGregor's presentation as the constituency's candidate in the next general elections, due by September, reinforces its "commitment to leadership and development in the area". McGregor is currently the director of security at The University of the West Indies, Mona.

This decision to install McGregor comes after the PNP's unexpected loss of the traditionally secure Kingston Central seat in the September 3, 2020, general elections. In that contest, the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Donovan Williams defeated Imani Duncan-Price by 303 votes, securing 4,568 votes to Duncan-Price's 4,265. Despite Duncan-Price's victory in the Allman Town Division by 778 votes (2,449 to 1,671), she was overtaken in the Rae Town Division, where Williams triumphed by 1,081 votes (2,897 to 1,816).

The PNP faces a formidable challenge in regaining the seat, as evidenced by the February 26 Local Government Elections last year, where the party led the JLP by 541 votes. In those elections, the PNP secured the Allman Town Division by 909 votes (2,281 to 1,372), but fell behind in the Rae Town division, losing by 368 votes (2,168 to 1,800).

In the 2016 general elections, the PNP won the seat by 1,229 votes, with Ronnie Thwaites polling 5,190 votes to the JLP's Robert Chin's 3,961. Thwaites' winning margin in the previous election -- 2011 -- was 2,108 votes.