St James, Jamaica — Excitement filled the air at the Howard Cooke Primary School this morning, as scores of residents turned out early to cast their votes in St James West Central. The constituency is being contested by incumbent Marlene Malahoo Forte of the Jamaica Labour Party and the People’s National Party’s Dr Andre Haughton.
From as early as the polls opened, streams of voters could be seen lining up outside the gates, many dressed proudly in their party colours and greeting neighbours with laughter, hugs, and lively debates.
Among the early voters were some of the island’s most prominent business leaders — Adam Stewart, executive chairman of the Sandals Group and the Jamaica Observer; Ian Dear, chairman and CEO of Margaritaville Caribbean; and Yoni Epstein, chairman and CEO of Itel BPO — all spotted heading into the polling station to do their civic duty.
The atmosphere remains calm but buzzing with anticipation, with party workers, election day officials, and police officers ensuring that the voting process runs smoothly. Both camps are reporting confidence, while residents are saying they expect a big turnout as the day goes on



