PNP Paul Patmore aims to use goat giveaways to disrupt the JLP stronghold in South Trelawny

The candidate of the People’s National Party (PNP), Paul Patmore, has reinitiate his goat project. Patmore informed the Jamaica Star that he has been distributing animals for the past 30 years.

Patmore announced his goat project three weeks ago. He plans to use his goat initiative to upset the South Trelawny division, a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) stronghold represented by Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert. The PNP last won this seat in 1997.

“I’ve been doing this for the past 30 years. This goat project is something I did in the past. We do pigs; and one of the major water projects in South Trelawny — I did that, and it was before I even thought about politics,” he said.

He said he has given away 10 goats so far and plans to reach 91 recipients, one in each polling division. He thinks this goat distribution project is key to the agricultural changes he wants for the constituency.

Patmore wrote in part on his social media page,

Recent developments in the South Trelawny Constituency indicate a significant shift in political sentiment, with the People’s National Party (PNP) gaining traction in recent weeks. This change is largely attributed to the increased visibility of the PNP candidate, Paul Patmore, within the community and on social media platforms.

Paul Patmore, a well-known funeral home director, has been actively engaging with constituents, making his presence felt in various community events and through social media. His approach contrasts sharply with that of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate, Marissa Dalrymple-Philibert, who has faced criticism for her previous tenure as MP and her recent legal troubles related to alleged misconduct in her statutory declarations. Patmore’s strategy appears to resonate with voters who are seeking a more accessible and responsive representative.

Patmore has been vocal about the issues facing South Trelawny, including poor road conditions and inadequate public services. He has emphasized the need for urgent improvements, stating that the constituency cannot afford to overlook these pressing concerns. His commitment to addressing local issues has garnered him support among residents who feel neglected by their current representation.

“This have nothing to do with politics. I’m a businessman, this is where I was born and raised, and I just want to encourage young people to get involved in agriculture; so win lose or draw, this project will continue.”

In Trelawny, Patmore believes there is a strong demand for goat meat and that agriculture needs to diversify.

Giving away goats is not a new idea in Jamaican politics. In 2019, another PNP member, Damion Crawford, suggested a similar program during his campaign for the East Portland by-election. Although he was mocked and lost to Ann-Marie Vaz from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Crawford has continued to support his idea and noted that the agriculture ministry is making a big effort to increase goat production across the country.

“We want South Trelawny to start producing at least 20 per cent of what Jamaica needs,” said Patmore, who defected from the JLP a few years ago.

“From early days, everybody just come and do the same farming their grandparents used to do. So I’m encouraging other types of farming, and we’re starting off with livestock,” he said about the need to diversify the agricultural offerings of the constituency.

The programme targets young people aged 10 to 19. Patmore explained that selected youth will be encouraged to join their school’s 4-H Club and will receive a goat to start livestock farming. Each participant must return the first female offspring from the goat to the programme, which will then be given to another youth. Patmore says this model will help the project grow significantly over time.

“In five years, we expect to have over 500 goats under the programme,” he said.

“It’s not a scarce benefit. It’s helping someone start a business. My first business came from a common fowl my godmother gave me and I would sell those eggs to the shopkeeper and mek mi likkle money. That’s what I’m trying to encourage.”