In what could be dubbed as a ‘shower of baptism’ on stage, former People’s National Party (PNP) councillor-candidate for the Alexandria Division in South West St Ann, Christopher French, has ‘crossed the floor’ to the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
He becomes the latest well-known former PNP member to have officially become a member of the JLP, joining Craig Oates who was rejected as PNP candidate for Eastern Hanover after a selection process, and Kenroy Calame, whose interest was in the Cauldwell Division, also in Hanover.
The Hanover men made their decisions to become JLP members official last week at a JLP meeting in the parish.
French was drenched with water, signalling his official welcome to the JLP, on stage at the JLP’s North West Clarendon constituency conference at Edwin Allen High School in Frankfield in the parish on Saturday night.
He was formally presented by South West St Ann Member of Parliament (MP) and State Minister in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Zavia Mayne, who will be seeking a third consecutive term in the constituency. Mayne will do battle with marketer and communications specialist, Danishka Williams.
Jubilant labourites welcomed French with handshakes, both in the crowd and on the platform.
Said Mayne: “Every weh mi guh a Kingston people ask mi, ‘What is happening in South Western St Ann?’ Because dem see a little … a run up and dung and a mek some talk.
“Now Christopher French was the People’s National Party caretaker of the Alexandria Division. He ran for the PNP in the last Local Government Election representing Alexandria, and now we have him here; so if you have any doubt what is happening in South Western St Ann, look at Christopher French!” Mayne declared.
When he was allowed to speak, French said: “I have come to have so much respect for Mr Mayne… When I made up my mind, it wasn’t nuh hard thing, because the love was shared, the love was there.”
According to the former PNP representative, when he got up on Saturday morning, he reflected on the mission to continue working in South West St Ann and the wider Jamaica.
French polled 739 votes for the PNP to lose the Alexandria Division to the JLP’s Rohan Davidson, who polled 1,806 votes, in last February’s Local Government Elections.
Interestingly, the PNP only managed to win one of the four parochial divisions in South West St Ann last year.
