KINGSTON, Jamaica — The gloves are off in St Catherine South East. Alfred Dawes, surgeon turned politician, isn’t easing into the contest — he’s charging in, declaring that the constituency has been trapped in “five years of drift” under Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) representation.
Unlike his predecessor Colin Fagan, who lost narrowly in 2020, Dawes has positioned himself not as a caretaker of tradition, but as a disruptor prepared to redraw the rules.
From Medicine to Politics
Dawes, long known for his fierce criticism of Jamaica’s healthcare system, says his candidacy will bring the same combative energy he once directed at hospital bureaucracy and national health policy. “If I could take on the establishment for patients at Savanna-la-Mar, I can take it on for the people of South East,” he told supporters.
This is no standard stump speech. Where most candidates recite promises, Dawes speaks in terms of dismantling silos and fusing power. “There won’t be councillor roads and MP roads. There will be South East roads. Full stop.”
A Redefinition of “Health”
The candidate insists that voters are tired of politicians who treat health as something that happens only in hospitals. His language expands the concept: clogged drains, garbage-filled lots, crime, and financial strain — he labels them all public health failures. “The stress of living in neglect is just as deadly as any disease,” he declared.
Base Energy and National Frustration
If Dawes’ speeches carry an edge, it’s because he believes the political climate is shifting beneath the ruling party’s feet. He claims that voters once immobilized by pandemic restrictions are now restless and ready to revolt. “People are not just listening, they’re moving,” he said, describing what he views as a surge of energy among the PNP’s ground troops.
Hitting at the JLP Playbook
He didn’t shy away from blasting the JLP’s campaign methods, calling recent cash handouts “political bribery dressed as assistance.” He warned residents not to be “bought for a day and abandoned for five years.”
A Contest of Will
For Dawes, this election is not about narrowing a margin but about flipping the script entirely. His rhetoric suggests he views September 3 not as an uphill climb, but as a battle of momentum versus machinery. “This is not continuity. This is a reset,” he told the crowd.
