‘A long time coming’

Already a senior citizen, Yvonne Rosemarie Shaw, more commonly referred to as Rosemarie Shaw, will perhaps be the oldest first-time parliamentarian when she is sworn in to represent the people of St Thomas Eastern.

Following an often ill-tempered and intense election campaign, the veteran politician, running on the People’s National Party (PNP) ticket, ousted former Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Michelle Charles of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

Now 65 year old, Shaw holds the record of being the youngest councillor after she was elected in 1981 at age 21 and is the sitting councillor for the Morant Bay Division in the St Thomas Municipal Corporation.

After failing in St Thomas Western against James Robertson in the 2007 general election, Shaw polled 7,356 votes to Charles’ 6,937 votes last week.

The former mayor of Morant Bay asserts that she is not surprised but heartened and grateful for the confidence the people have shown in sending her to Gordon House.

“I’ve been a councillor for the Morant Bay Division for 26 unbroken years, on both sides of the political fence, so it must be something I am doing why the people have elected me on both sides and I am grateful for that,” she told The Gleaner.

The law does not prevent a sitting councillor from simultaneously holding the position of MP, but the candidate would collect one salary from the Consolidated Fund.

Plans to resign

The Morant Bay resident disclosed that she does not plan to hold on to the position in the municipal corporation, but would not disclose a timeline to demit that office. She said however that she already sees a candidate she will endorse.

“Once you are elected, nobody can force you to resign and, whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, that’s the law. Of course I have plans to resign, because you have to give somebody else a chance to make their mark as well.”

And, as she looks forward to being sworn in as a legislator, Shaw told The Gleaner her patience paid off.

“It’s been a long time coming, but I wait my turn. I am not somebody who fight for power and I can tell you, from as early as 1990, persons approached me, but there was no vacancy so I have to wait my turn,” she said. “Some of these people sit in the House [of Representatives] for so long, you know, and there was no point in me fighting. Persons come, they send petition [indicating that] they want me to be their MP, but I tell you, [former United States President] Joe Biden wait his turn. I am just in my 60s and I am very proud of my age, my maturity and my work speaks for itself.”

Shaw sat in the municipal corporation for two terms under the JLP and three terms under the PNP, but insists that, despite switching political affiliation, her constituents have no cause for concern that she could cross the floor again.

“Not at all. They have faith in me, they have trust in me and I take a principled stand, very principled stand, and they know me, they respect me for that. You have seen the resounding victory time and time [again] so that was not a problem. I mean, that was taken on the campaign trail as if they thought that would affect my position as the PNP candidate. It did not, not at all, and the people have shown them times and times that I am their choice, their voice.”

After being outside of the national spotlight for several years, former MP Fenton Ferguson was by Shaw’s side during the election campaign.

“Well, for a man to serve us 26 years, it speaks volumes. Dr Ferguson has his support, he has his people who respect him dearly and, being on board with me, it strengthened me and I am happy for that.”

The PNP had made assertions of voter intimidation during the campaign but Shaw said election day was different.

“Election day was pretty peaceful, but before that it was like hell. I had to really stand up and show that kind of leadership and ask the persons who support me to just be calm and do not react to the intimidation, so I think that helped a great deal.”

Shaw won the election over the daughter of her long-time ally, retired parliamentarian and government minister Pearnel Charles.

But Shaw’s relationship with the former minister has soured over the years.

“Not a friend. He was my MP who I supported for a number of years but, in the latter part of the ‘90s there was a little discomfort when I saw the amount of atrocities that were being committed in this same constituency of Eastern St Thomas. The land baron style, running off farmers off the land, and trying to purchase the land, I don’t know by what means, but that was something that did not sit well with me and at that time I decided to speak out and I was chastised by elements of the Labour party for that.”

‘I did him a favour’

Shaw, whose parents were members of opposing parties, also dismissed Mr Charles’ assertions that he was her mentor.

“And I want to clarify something. I heard Pearnel Charles on an interview saying that he was the one who trained me. That was a lie from the pit of hell. When he came here to represent, we are the ones who took him. Well, Noel Flemming was MP and I was fresh out of high school and Flemming asked me to support. You know why? I was very influential at that time. I was the president of the youth club in the parish and they brought me onboard. At that time my mother was a Labourite, my father was a PNP. My father spoke to me and said do not take in strangers and I am sorry I did not take his advice. But my mother, who was a rock stone Labourite, we got onboard and we took him around to all the 53 districts and introduced him to people. So he didn’t do me a favour, I did him a favour, I kept him in parliament for 15 years.”

With her life about to change, Shaw pointed out the importance of her family unit.

“I have an adult daughter and she understands. She lives with me part time but she’s an adult. So, in terms of that, it’s something I am used to because I have been a representative for the people from the age of 21. So, I mean in terms of changing, no. I find time for family. I balance family and the political arena.”

karen.madden@gleanerjm.com