RESIDENTS in St Ann North Eastern say they are not yet ready to let go of their late Member of Parliament Shahine Robinson, who had served the constituency since 2001.

A Claremont native, Robinson — the woman who changed the tide of losses for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) with an upset in a People's National Party (PNP) stronghold — was remembered as a “woman for the people” by Priory resident Herman Gordon.

Robinson was one of two JLP candidates to ever represent St Ann North Eastern in Parliament.

However, after that election, Manley Bowen of the PNP, a former Member of Parliament and a registered voter in the constituency, sought a declaration from the Supreme Court that she was not qualified to be elected due to her alleged dual citizenship.

In the process of the legal actions, she was forced to resign from the House of Representatives in December 2010, but returned to the Parliament that same month after defeating PNP challenger Devon Evans in another by-election, and was again sworn in as an MP in January 2011.