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Delroy Slowley, the member of parliament (MP) for North East St Elizabeth, has hit back at his political rival, Zuleika Jess, after she mockingly branded him the 'One Inch Man'.

Jess, the People's National Party (PNP) standard-bearer, coined the nickname while accusing Slowley of only doing small patches of roadwork and then celebrating them as major achievements.

"His style is to simply fix a tiny part of the road. Then take pictures and videos and pat himself on the back. All the while leaving the majority of the road unfixed. That's why he is the One Inch Man," Jess declared.

"Him pinch, fix an inch and roll over and say him done," she added.

But Slowley, a member of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) who ended the PNP's 31-year reign in the constituency when he won in 2020, is brushing off Jess's jabs, insisting that he has a proven record of action and delivery.

"She has no substance and is obsessed with me," he said, adding, "I am called the Action Man for a reason."

Speaking at a workers' meeting in the constituency last night, Slowley didn't hold back in his response to Jess's remarks.

"She talks about one inch... Then if a one inch so powerful and effective, when the two inch and the three inch and the six and seven inch, weh dem a guh do?" he said to loud cheers from his supporters.

Slowley has also claimed credit for all ongoing and completed road works in the constituency--even those under the supervision of PNP councillors. There are three PNP and one JLP councillor in St Elizabeth North East.

"All road spending is being done by the Jamaica Labour Party government, led by Prime Minister Andrew Holness," he said. "Any infrastructure work a tek place inna Jamaica... a Jamaica Labour Party a dweet. When any work a gwane inna North East St Elizabeth, a the Jamaica Labour Party government a dweet. ... Me is a proud member of the Jamaica Labour Party government."

He described Jess as a "born loser," referencing her defeat to veteran MP Mike Henry in Clarendon Central during the 2020 General Election. She then relocated to St Elizabeth North East, a constituency that was previously considered safe for the PNP.

"We don't know anything about that person. The only thing that we know is that she has the record for being beaten by one of the oldest member of parliament," Slowley said.