Hayles eyes redemption, James touts projects, progress
Published:Tuesday | August 19, 2025 | 12:09 AMMickalia Kington/Gleaner Writer
Dr Garfield James is hoping that a slew of upcoming projects, including the Negril International Airport proposed to be constructed beside the Little London High School, where he serves as principal, will woo voters to elect him as the next member of parliament for Westmoreland Western.
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) standard-bearer, who was nominated on Monday to face off with the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Ian Hayles, currently serves as the councillor for the Sheffield Division.
Earlier this year, he edged Morland Wilson, who won the seat in 2020, in a run-off to become the JLP candidate this time around and is confident of retaining the seat, pointing to the party’s record of governance. He also noted projects such as a urban centre and a beach park which are in the pipeline for the constituency, adding that potable water systems and road infrastructure are also set for upgrades.
“The country is doing extremely well in terms of the economy, in terms of crime, in terms of jobs. We have the lowest unemployment rate in the history of this country. All the macroeconomic variables are pointing in the right direction,” he argued.
The JLP broke the PNP’s decades-long dominance in Westmoreland Western in 2020, when Wilson defeated Hayles, who represented Hanover Western between 2007 and 2016 before unsuccessfully contesting Westmoreland Western.
On Monday, Hayles said it was a “wonderful day” after his nomination.
“I think Western Westmoreland is in victory lane now,” he said. “We only have September 3rd to put the ballots in the box and ensure that the People’s National Party and myself will be victorious in Western Westmoreland.”
With independent candidate Bilbert Lancaster James and the Jamaica Progressive Party’s Bertland Madden joining the race, Hayles brushed aside the idea that these opponents might be of any concern. In the same strength, speaking about the JLP, he says, “I think the Jamaica Labour Party is a divided party in Western Westmoreland and anything is possible.”
He also downplayed speculation that the change from Wilson to James as the JLP’s candidate altered his own strategy.
THANKED WILSON FOR SERVING
“We’re a united People’s National Party,” he stressed. “Politics is difficult, and I just want to thank Morland Wilson for serving, because he must have helped some people, and it’s a difficult role.”
Reflecting on his political journey, Hayles said his faith guided him through both victory and defeat.
“I tell you, we serve a good God, an awesome God. I would always ask God for the opportunity to serve from the parish of my birth. And lo and behold, it would happen in 2020, where I left Hanover and came to Westmoreland. It’s been wonderful since. It’s home, and this is where I’ll retire from politics whenever that time comes.”
For Hayles, reclaiming Western Westmoreland is about addressing what he sees as long-standing issues of infrastructure and development.
“There are so many problems in this constituency; from infrastructure in terms of water, in terms of our road network, and also the overall development of the constituency. Negril doesn’t work in all ways for the people of Western Westmoreland any more,” he said.
He was sharply critical of the JLP’s investments in the parish.
“It can’t be that the largest investment that the Government, the JLP Government, has made in Westmoreland is to build two jailhouses – one in Landillo, where the cultural centre was before, and one in Little London. I think there needs to be some recalibration overall to put the people at the centre of what we do,” Hayles argued.