McNeill promises to walk ‘hills and valleys’ for Trelawny Northern seat
Published:Thursday | June 13, 2024 | 12:06 AMLeon Jackson/Gleaner Writer
With a promise to walk the “hills and valleys”, Wykeham McNeill says he will be dedicating all his efforts to winning the Trelawny Northern seat for the People’s National Party (PNP) in the next general election.
McNeill, a former minister of tourism, delivered the remarks while making his first speech as the PNP’s caretaker candidate for Trelawny Northern at the party’s Duncans divisional conference, which was held at Duncans Primary School.
He pledged to “walk the hills and valleys, the lanes and highways so that we can win back Trelawny Northern”.
The Jamaica Labour Party’s Tova Hamilton is the sitting member of parliament for the Trelawny constituency.
McNeill suffered a shock defeat in the last general election to political newcomer Morland Wilson, and in recent times he had not been prominent on the political landscape.
However, he was introduced as the PNP’s caretaker candidate for Trelawny Northern by Dennis Meadows, who is said to have been a major influence on McNeill’s decision to take up the challenge in Trelawny.
Interestingly, up to recently, Meadows was the party’s caretaker candidate for Trelawny Northern.
However, his utterances on the political hustings during the recent local government elections, which was interpreted by some to have sounded like supporting lotto scamming, saw him being removed as caretaker candidate, even as he remains the PNP’s constituency chairman and campaign manager.
McNeill, who has had 23 years in representational politics, acknowledged that there are detractors with regard to his selection as caretaker candidate.
Addressing the matter at the start of presentation, McNeill said, “I told the private session that I am prepared to work with all Comrades in order to win back this seat, which will go a far way in returning the PNP to government and Mark Golding to Jamaica House.”
The former tourism minister (2012-2016) reflected on his time in the government portfolio, highlighting a number of initiatives he wants to implement in the parish.
“I have a mission on tourism for Trelawny. In 2015, I went to the Tourism Enhancement Fund and discussed projects which would enhance tourism in Trelawny. One billion dollars was allocated to start that project, which looked at Falmouth and what it had to offer visitors to the town. That project [was] started, but is not completed. Part of my mission going forward is to further advance that project,” he stated.
Additionally, McNeill noted that specific training should be done in schools that align with jobs “higher up” in the tourism sector.
“I would like to see a training programme introduced in schools which offer training, so that graduates can look forward to employment in the tourism industry not just at the bottom, but higher up the employment ladder; not just in hotels, but on cruise ships.”
He also said there should be greater access to beaches for all Jamaicans.
“As part 9f my mission, I want to get ahold of beaches by purchase or otherwise. We want to develop them in every parish, so that our children and grandchildren can have a place to swim free of cost.”