Popcaan, Chronic Law energise Danishka’s campaign

Attracting a star-studded line-up of heavyweight entertainers, including Popcaan and Chronic Law, to her campaign launch in Cave Valley on Sunday night, Danishka Williams, the People's National Party (PNP) caretaker for South West St Ann, sparked an electrifying wave of excitement and set the stage for a showdown in the coming election.

"It was a genuine show of love and support for my candidacy," Williams shared.

She has vowed to revolutionise the constituency, which is generally regarded as Jamaica Labour Party territory.

Party supporters erupted into a frenzy when the Family hitmaker Popcaan touched the stage and later invited fellow entertainers to step into the spotlight.

"Di whole a wi forward fi represent fi Danishka tonight," he declared, before inviting persons to hold aloft the clenched fist, a symbol used by the socialist party.

Williams told THE STAR that the artistes performed out of sheer camaraderie and were not paid.

"It was genuinely me stepping into what I've always said I wanted to do and my friends being a part of that journey." The aspiring member of parliament said the event was a testament to the power of unity and a bold signal of her campaign's appeal.

"I think it will send a strong message that not just Danishka and South West, but team PNP has found a way to capture the hearts of those who are popular and those who have influence in our society," she said.

Created in 1959, St Ann South West has voted for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in every election except 1997, when Granville Shaw won for the PNP, and in 2011 when Bass Odyssey's owner, Keith Walford was elected on a PNP ticket.

The JLP's Zavia Mayne has been MP since 2016, winning his first outing by 337 votes before returning in 2020 to register a 3,835-vote margin.

Expressing her gratitude, Williams added, "I don't even have the words to describe how appreciative I am and how I know it will go over well with the public and with the constituency."

Williams said that the artistes' endorsement reflects her commitment to fostering the local entertainment industry, which she sees as a cornerstone for community development. She pointed out that the constituency is the birthplace of many well-known entertainers, among them being Romain Virgo and Ernie Smith.

"But when we look around the constituency, we can't see where the member of parliament has developed any sort of entertainment-related infrastructure or educational opportunities for young people interested in entertainment," she said, adding that there is a deep pool of talent in the constituency, which she intends to prioritise, and create initiatives that support aspiring entertainers.

For Williams, the presence of entertainers such as Popcaan and Chronic Law will telegraph to voters that, "I will be a member of parliament who is going to help them in that area".

Meanwhile, despite providing high-energy entertainment for the PNP base in St Ann South West, some of the performances may have left the leadership of the PNP cringing. At one stage, Popcaan cautioned Chronic Law about his 'SYM' outburst, which was delivered while PNP president Mark Golding was on stage.

And while the Law Boss did not reoffend, he did not hold back on the badness. In fact, he delivered a remixed version of his hit song, Government. Instead of the 'Government badness, Andrew Holness', Chronic Law inserted the words 'PNP badness'.

The St Thomas native then told comrades that the death of his manager's daughter at the Bustamante Hospital for Children has contributed to the position he has taken.

"Me sing the Govament Badness and a woman seh me switch ...We believe inna who believe inna we. Everybody know wah gwane wid my bredda, Bashy, situation. And a who support Bashy me a support. Me never switch, a badness me deal with. Big up PNP right through," Chronic Law said.