JLP Retains Both Municipality Seats…

In bi-elections held in separate Municipalities today April 27, 2018 the Jamaica Labour party won both divisions in Clarendon and the Yallahs division, St. Thomas. There was only about 19% voter turnout in Clarendon, but the one in yallahs St Thomas. 29 percent.

Desmond McKenzie

As you are aware The Chief Justice had ruled against the JLP because the sitting candidate there had been a civil servant at the time of his election to the parish council but most importantly there was a 10 seat  council and the JLP had 5 and the PNP 5 … the JLP got the Mayorship because they had gotten the popular vote so now that they had lost that seat based on the ruling of the Hon. Chief Justice Bryan Sykes it meant that the balance of power within the municipality would have shifted to the PNP.  Local Government Minister Mckenzie was forced to clarify the rules.

Power Grab

The PNP did try through Dr. Angela Brown Burke,  opposition spokesperson on local government to grab power. She was gearing for a power grab. The JLP  held the bi- election hurriedly in an effort not to shift power to the PNP and therefore lose control of this municipality.  This area in St Thomas is traditionally a known JLP area, but of late it has been swinging both sides. By winning the seat today in Yallahs, they have  retained control or power of the  municipality.   It will be interesting to see if the current mayor will be retained or they will have a new mayor, we will see what happens of course. The JLP for sure will hold on to the current mayorship position that it now has.

Vision with post full details of bi- elections, one in Clarendon and one in St Thomas as soon as the official count has been done and it has been certified by the electoral office that both seats have officially been retained by the Jamaica Labour Party.

Commentary

We congratulate the JLP on their victory.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is Senior International correspondent and  photojournalist for vision newspaper.