Daraine Luton and Athaliah Reynolds, Staff Reporters

George Lee, the People's National Party's mayoral candidate for Portmore, raises fists with fellow 'comrades' after being nominated to run for the position of Mayor of Portmore, yesterday (left) and Keith Hinds (left), Jamaica Labour Party's mayoral candidate for Portmore, interacts with 'comrades' (right). - Photos by Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

PERSPIRATION dripped from his face and on to his shirt, but this will not cool Alrick Davis' thirst to become the new mayor of Portmore.

The devout Christian is running as an independent candidate in the marquee race for mayor of Portmore. And, believe it or not, he believes that he can beat sitting Mayor George Lee, and the heavyweight contender Keith Hinds.

"My chances lie with God and the people," Davis told The Gleaner. "I'm very confident based on my research and my interaction with the people ... taxi drivers ... I will be victorious."

In 2003, Lee, of the People's National Party (PNP), became the first mayor of Portmore when he won a total of 8,428 votes to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Hinds' 7,374. Davis said that he is going to take votes from them.

Toll lobby

Four persons have been nominated to run for mayor in Portmore - Davis, Lee, Hinds and Denzil Taylor of the National Democratic Movement.

Hinds, dubbed 'the real big man of Portmore', told The Gleaner yesterday that he hopes to lobby the operators of the toll road to give five per cent of the money collected to develop the municipality.

"I want to see this city looking like South Florida," said a confident Hinds.

"The city can look good and I have the drive to do it and I am going to do it."

The sitting mayor Lee is also, as expected, just as confident.

"I have been there before twice. I have beaten him twice and I am going to beat him a third time," Lee said in reference to Hinds.

"He will give us a challenge, but I think that because of what I have done in Portmore the people will put me back," he said.

"Not only will the PNP put me back, but JLP will put me back. I am confident about that," Mr. Lee said.