Isat Buchanan selected by the PNP to represent Portland Eastern in the upcoming General Election
The People’s National Party (PNP) has confirmed attorney Isat Buchanan as its candidate for Portland Eastern in the upcoming parliamentary general election. Buchanan replaces Colin Bell, who resigned due to a lack of support.
The PNP states that Buchanan is dedicated to serving the constituents, with plans to improve education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. Specifically, Buchanan aims to develop new educational programs that cater to the diverse needs of students, ensuring no child is left behind.
In healthcare, he plans to enhance medical facilities and increase access to essential services, addressing longstanding health disparities in the region. For economic opportunities, Buchanan envisions bolstering local businesses and attracting new investments, creating jobs, and fostering a thriving community.
The PNP now has all 63 representatives ready for the next general election, scheduled for next September, and is optimistic about its comprehensive strategy for national development.
Isat Buchanan, the former chairman of the PNP’s Human Rights Commission, made an unexpected appearance at the 86th annual conference of the People’s National Party (PNP) held at the National Arena in Kingston. He was accompanied by dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel.
Buchanan was a crucial member of the legal team that successfully secured the release of Vybz Kartel, who had been convicted for the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.
Since Vybz Kartel’s release from prison, the two men appear to have developed a close friendship. Kartel has expressed his support for Buchanan, who is running as a People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for East Portland.
In an Instagram video, Kartel urged Jamaicans to register to vote.
Currently, the East Portland seat is held by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP)’s Annmarie Vaz.
Isat Buchanan, aged 45, is a figure of significant notoriety. He has been convicted twice for drug possession, both in Jamaica and the United States. Subsequent to his deportation from the United States, Buchanan pursued a degree in law. He is often described as a brilliant, resilient, and extraordinary individual.
Isat Buchanan who was the Chairman of the People’s National Party (PNP) Human Rights Commission resigned following remarks of a sexually explicit nature directed at the then, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn during a recent YouTube program.
In an official statement, the PNP said, “He believes that resigning is in the party’s best interests, as the remarks in question do not reflect the values of the People’s National Party.”
Gender Affairs Minister Olivia Grange had previously urged PNP President Mark Golding to “immediately” dismiss Buchanan for his “misogynistic, crude, nasty, sexist, low, and disgraceful language in reference to the country’s chief prosecutor.”
According to the Jamaica Gleaner, in 1996, Buchanan was preparing to travel overseas when, according to him, a neighbor requested that he deliver some money to an individual in the United States.
“I was stopped at the [Norman Manley International] airport. They confiscated the packages and later indicated that it was drugs.”
Buchanan stated that he appeared before then Resident Magistrate Martin Gayle, who offered him bail and indicated that he would recuse himself from the case due to the “unfortunate” circumstances.
He was eventually convicted and paid a fine of approximately $1 million, but that was just the beginning of his legal dilemma.
In 1999, Buchanan was on a flight to Florida in the United States when a quantity of drugs was discovered in the possession of another passenger. He stated that the passenger directed authorities to him, alleging that he was responsible.
“When they conveyed that to the Federal authorities, they arrested me and subsequently found me guilty,” he claimed.
Buchanan was given a 10-year prison sentence as, according to him, authorities in the US formed the view that the incident was a continuation of his drug case in Jamaica and that he had got off easy.
“The judge in America felt that [the $1 million fine imposed in Jamaica] was a slap on the wrist. So they actually doubled my sentence,” Buchanan told The Gleaner.