Danishka Williams offers St Ann SW a reset with ‘real change’

Bouyed by what she describes as renewed energy in St Ann South Western after years of neglect, first-time political aspirant Danishka Williams is making the audacious claim that she will return the seat to the People’s National Party (PNP) come September 3.

Williams was nominated on Monday to be the party’s standing-bearer in the rural constituency that has been traded among the two major parties over the years.

Born and raised in upper St Andrew, Williams says being originally from Kingston Eastern, and with her grandmother from Watt Town in the constituency she now hopes to represent in Parliament gives her credibility.

She is the daughter of well-known businessman Danhai Williams and says that while she has not banked on her familial name, growing up around politics gave her little choice.

“Politics chose me, really. I grew up around the politics. My mom worked in the space for people like Mr Ramtallie, Dr Blythe, Mrs Henry Wilson. I was singing the PNP anthem at conference from I was four years old and joined the PNP Youth Organisation (YO) at 15 and went up to the position of vice-president.

“In the YO, I worked with Paul Burke when he was general secretary and Dr Peter Phillips when he was president, so I have a wealth of experience in politics.”

‘Taken for granted’

Williams has been working in the constituency since last December after she was tapped by the party’s leadership. She believes she has gained ground in the seat held up to just recently by the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Zavia Mayne.

“On Nomination Day, for example, Comrades were saying this level of energy in the camp has not been seen in a long time. I have good support from former PNP MP (member of parliament) Keith Walford, and he also is very encouraged by the what has happened so far. Even JLP supporters say to me, ‘Mi a Labourite, but mi a support you’.”

The St Andrew High and University of Technology alum is bemoaning the level of representation the constituency has received over the last nine years.

“South West St Ann has largely been run by the JLP, but they have taken residents for granted, so they overlook the constituency. The MP is, basically, silent in Parliament. I want to show them what real leadership looks like. I have banked my campaign on REAL CHANGE. Things like rural development, road rehabilitation to improve access in and out of the constituency. The [former] MP promised more houses like the Alexandria Estate election promise, which has not materialised. In my townhalls, I have pledged to build 500 houses out of the 50,000 that my party has promised to build nationally. We have the lands to do it, and we will do it.”

Williams says farmers have also been neglected, and parts of the constituency have challenges accessing healthcare.

“For instance, the Calderwood Health Centre was closed due to mould and rightly so. But what its closure has resulted in is that Calderwood residents have to travel long distances on bad roads to get healthcare. I want to institute a mobile-clinic system, which will address this. Community development is also very important to me, and I want to use community centres as facilities for young people as modern and technological advanced spaces.

“We need to improve education and economic development through at least 75 per cent digital access, and I will focus on things like improving access for kids with disabilities and create an inclusive system. Another big problem in the constituency is the lack of water in too many areas. I am listening to my constituents, and we must address this critical issue. Time come for real change in South West St Ann to transform it into a model rural constituency.”

The JLP’s Xavier Mayne has been in Parliament since 2016 when he defeated the PNP’s Keith Walford, polling 7,286 votes to Watford’s 6,849. This after the JLP lost in the 2011 election with its then candidate Ernest Smith picking up 5,703 to the 6,525 votes cast for the PNP’s Keith Walford. Mayne prevailed again in 2020 with 7,877 votes to upstage the PNP’s Valenton Wint’s 4,042.

St Ann South Western is mostly located in the region of the Dry Harbour Mountains, with Alexandria being the its major town.

karen.madden@gleanerjm.com