After months of speculation, it is now becoming very clear that the ruling New National Party (NNP) is definitely on the look out for a new candidate for the rural St. Patrick East seat.

Its long-standing representative, Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Adrian "Spaceman" Mitchell is being overlooked for the seat that he first won in the 1995 poll. He defended successfully in 1999 but lost it in 2003 to Political Leader of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Tillman Thomas.

The upset was stunning for the NNP since it could not have contemplated "Tillboy" as the then incumbent used to refer to the Congress leader, losing to the big man called "Spaceman".

Since then a number of names have surfaced as possible replacements for "Spaceman" in St. Patrick East since it was felt that he no longer had the passion for the politics and to regain the seat. However, the name of Dr. Trevor Friday has now been thrown into the ring with the medical doctor admitting that he was approached by the NNP leadership as a replacement candidate.

The word was on the ground among NNP supporters for several days now that Dr. Friday had accepted the offer and they were looking forward to working with him to unseat Thomas.

In confirming that an approach was indeed made to him, Dr. Friday told this newspaper that he had indicated quite clearly that he needed until after Carnival in August to seriously consider the offer that was made to him.

There are many in the country who are betting that Dr. Friday would take up the offer for reasons not necessarily linked or related to the politics of the day.

But it must be clear by now to "Spaceman" that the NNP leadership is looking beyond him. Speculation is also rife that if Dr. Friday accepts the offer then he might not only replace him as candidate but also take his seat in the Senate in order to land a job possible as Minister of Health.

It could be a double blow for "Spaceman" who is suspected to be harbouring thoughts of running again if only to show NNP¹ites in the area that he can beat Mr. Thomas in the race for the constituency. In our view, the move against "Spaceman" by Dr. Mitchell and company is not unexpected given his own questionable work rate in the constituency.

It is generally accepted by those who known the Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture that he is not a friend of hard work and is considered to be rather lazy and too laid back.

Spaceman clearly disappointed the NNP in the last elections since Prime Minister Mitchell had been counting on him to once again safely deliver the St. Patrick East seat as part of a widely anticipated routing of the Opposition.

The thing about the current Prime Minister is that he would "dump" anyone who badly let him down. Prior to the 2003 general elections, the Minister of Co-operative Cuthbert O¹Brian Mc Queen was reassuring the NNP leadership that he had things under control in St. Andrew South-east and that the seat was virtually in the bag.

As it turned out this was so far from the truth. Mc Queen was soundly defeated by newcomer Kenrick Fullerton who was virtually the last candidate selected by the Congress party in the elections.

Today, Mc Queen is a victim of his own political indiscretion. He has virtually been sidelined for a bunch of newcomers. The latest front runner for the seat is Minister of Youth Affairs, Emmalin Pierre.

It is clear to us that Dr. Mitchell is looking at the candidacy of people like Dr. Friday in order to give the NNP team a fresh look for the next general election.