EWARTON: Political opponents take high road at football league
January 13, 2020The dying moments of the Polly Ground Community Football League last evening presented a grand opportunity for two political opponents to display unity, and both men – Newton Amos and Hugh Graham – did not miss the chance.
Graham is the People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for St. Catherine North West, which includes the community of Polly Ground.
Amos, on the other hand, is the Jamaica Labour Party representative in the said constituency. He also is Chairman of the state-owned Institute of Sports (INSPORT).
Both political opponents were invited to address the relatively large gathering when the final match ended at sundown.
Graham, clutching the microphone, invited Amos on stage.
“Newton Amos, mi friend, nuh bother turn yuh back; nuh bother gwaan soh. Come yah mon,” he said while outstretching his left hand, gently pulling Amos beside him.
Graham further said: “What I like about Polly Ground is that Polly Ground comes together in this kind of camaraderie. Sports is one of the areas that bring people together… Even though Amos and I have a different path, I think we want to go to the same place – which is to improve the lives of the people… So, wi not gwine come out here come fight.”
Amos, during his turn at the microphone, silenced a supporter who was shouting political slogans.
He noted that, as Chairman of INSPORT, he is not being partisan in relation projects being undertaken.
“We are not being partisan in it; we have invited everybody to be a part of it because that is the way you build a country,” Amos declared.
He added: “I want you (Graham) and myself to work closely when it comes to sports and sports development because wi can’t use politics to fight sports. Sports has to be developed by all of us – PNP and JLP.”
Amos further stated that his impending INSPORTS projects includes improvement to the Polly Ground Playing Field where the competition took place.
He said: “I intend to fix up the playing field that it can look like a proper playing field – like what I am doing over by the primary school; I have just put up a multipurpose court over there. I have put up another double court over by Dinthill; and I am going to do the same thing for Ewarton High School. I want to come over here [at Polly Ground Playing Field] – and I want you [Graham] to join me with it, and make this field a top-of-the-line field because it could take some work.”
Amos also urged Graham to help in repairing the roads leading through Polly Ground district to the playing field.
Graham, in the meantime, told the gathering that work on the changing room at the playing field in Polly Ground has been completed.
“Wi struggle with the changing room, but finally eventually we finished it, and one day we will have a proper opening soon and make sure that the community benefits,” Graham further said.
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