Daryl Vaz speaks to members of the media yesterday at the Jamaica Labour Party's Belmont Road headquarters, after the Court of Appeal upheld the ruling of Chief Justice Zaila McCalla in the Dabdoub versus Vaz case. In background is Ann-Marie, Vaz's wife. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

While calling on the people of West Portland to "hold tight until I return", Vaz expressed confidence that he would again enjoy the majority of votes.

Last time around, September 2007, Vaz defeated People's National Party's (PNP) Abe Dabdoub by 944 votes.

At that time, 73 per cent of the 17,805 electors voted, with Vaz polling 6,977 to Dabdoub's 6,033.

"By-elections always tend to have a lower turnout. My only interest is to get a bigger majority. So, I'm not really looking at turnout; I'm looking to increase my majority," Vaz told The Gleaner yesterday, minutes after Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced the date for the by-election.

Campaign team ready

According to Vaz, his campaign team has been in place since the 2007 general election and is ready to hit the road running.

With both major political parties experiencing a dip in financial contributions in recent months, Vaz accepted that he would have to work hard to fund the almost month-long

By-election to decide West Portland seat campaign. But he was undaunted.

"Because it's a by-election and it is only my seat, I feel confident that I will get support from the private sector based on my performance," Vaz said.

The former junior minister has renounced his United States citizenship to ensure that he qualifies to sit in the House of Representatives, if he is elected this time around, and told journalists this was a decision he would have made long ago.

"I would once again like to publicly apologise to the people of West Portland and by extension, the people of Jamaica, for the concern and anxiety that have been caused over the last 17 months. Had I known then what I know now, there would have been no need for this matter to have gone to court," Vaz added.

It is expected that Vaz will again face off against Dabdoub, but up to late yesterday, there was no official confirmation from the PNP that he would be its representative.

However, sources in the party indicate that Dabdoub would be the PNP's candidate.

arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com