ELECTION 2016 in JAMAICA (SPIRITED) : At 91 y-o nothing could keep Clarendon's Alberta McDonald from the polls on general election last Thursday....“Of course mi affi come vote,” she said. “Me like di voting; me was ready fi vote long time,” she told the Jamaica Observer.....“Since me age so high, yuh nuh should a did gi mi something,” she said with a hearty laugh. “Me a joker anyweh me guh yaw. Me guh a hospital, me a joker,” she added.

 BY JEDIAEL CARTER Sunday Observer reporter carterj@jamaicaobserver.com  Sunday, February 28, 2016 

Nothing could keep Alberta McDonald from the polls on general election last Thursday.

Despite complaining of pain in her knees, the 91-year-old proudly boasted that she cast her ballot.

“Of course mi affi come vote,” she said. “Me like di voting; me was ready fi vote long time,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

The elderly woman agilely walked to the polling station a little after 8:00 and was treated with high priority when she arrived, as she was allowed to pass the lines on the outside to go straight into the station. When asked how long she has been voting, McDonald cheerfully said she has been doing so since she was young and will continue to exercise her right.

“A long time me a vote, from me a pickney,” she said.

She said she decided to participate in the political process and “vote fi di better”.

Her vote, she said, has always been cast at a polling station in Portland Cottage as she is from Wildman Town, Clarendon — “a small community nearby”.

“Me live there all di while, ‘til me have gran’ pickney ya now an great great gran’,” she told the Sunday Observer.

The jovial character is a resident of the Clarendon South Eastern constituency, where Member of Parliament Rudyard Spencer is about to serve his fourth term.

Spencer, of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), went up against newcomer Patricia Duncan Sutherland of the People’s National Party (PNP).

After all ballots were counted, Spencer defeated Sutherland by 971 votes, getting the support of 10,045 people to Duncan Sutherland’s 9074.

The 91-year-old, who jokingly requested “even di ganzi shirt” from this reporter, admitted that she has always been a witty individual.

“Since me age so high, yuh nuh should a did gi mi something,” she said with a hearty laugh. “Me a joker anyweh me guh yaw. Me guh a hospital, me a joker,” she added.

As with voting, a sharp-minded McDonald said that she has not let age inhibit her action as she still sews, though it may take more time. more