ALLIGATOR POND, Manchester — In a parish where limestone hills meet untapped coastline, Senator Peter Bunting is hoping to do more than win a seat — he wants to rewrite the future of South Manchester. Speaking to residents along the windswept Alligator Pond coast, the People’s National Party (PNP) candidate made one thing clear: young people won’t have to leave home to build a life.
“The talent is here. The ambition is here. What’s missing is the infrastructure and the opportunity,” Bunting told the crowd.
From better Internet access to viable employment, Bunting’s message focused on anchoring youth and restoring public confidence in health, education, and the economy.
Reversing the Exodus
In a region increasingly defined by migration — of both jobs and people — Bunting said his focus would be to create reasons to stay.
“It can’t be that every dream requires a passport or a bus ticket to Kingston. We’re going to build a South Manchester where people choose to remain.”
Key to that promise is connectivity — not just mobile signal, but the kind of broadband backbone that powers modern economies. He spoke of communities still grappling with weak or absent service, calling it a “basic barrier to upward mobility.”
BPO Isn’t Just a Buzzword
The senator pointed to his previous work bringing Sutherland Global to Mandeville as a case study in economic regeneration. He now wants to replicate — and localize — that momentum in the south of the parish.
The pitch: attract BPO investors, create digital training hubs, and use the constituency’s youthful population as an engine for nearshore employment.
Seaside Potential, Local Profits
But Bunting’s development plan extends beyond desks and call centres. He’s eyeing the coast — from Alligator Pond to Milk River — as a long-ignored asset.
“Look at what Treasure Beach has become. We have similar raw material here. Why shouldn’t the income stay in the hands of small families, fishers, and hosts?” he asked, envisioning a corridor of guest houses, eco-tours, and restaurants tied to local ownership.
Not Just Broadband — Birth Rights
Bunting shifted gears to criticize the state of maternal care, referencing first-hand stories of fear and trauma from residents. “When people are afraid to give birth in a hospital built to save lives, we have failed,” he said.
He called for urgent reform of the regional health system, citing maternal mortality figures as a “national shame, not a statistic.”
The Final Word: It’s Not About Nostalgia
Bunting’s narrative isn’t rooted in past glories. Instead, he’s crafting a forward-facing offer: training over tokenism, fibre-optic cables over photo ops, and tourism that lifts communities rather than displaces them.
“We’re not just trying to win votes — we’re trying to win back faith,” he said. “This election isn’t about sentiment. It’s about survival — and who gets to thrive.”
Whether that vision resonates will be up to voters. But for now, Peter Bunting has made his move — and staked it firmly on the future.
