KINGSTON, Jamaica--An official recount of votes following last Thursday’s general election has given the People’s National Party (PNP) an additional seat, leaving the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) with the slimmest majority possible – one seat.
The 33-30 victory by the JLP was already the smallest margin of victory in Jamaican history. With the PNP picking up another seat, after its St. Mary South Eastern candidate, Dr. Winston Green was declared winner of the race in that constituency, it means the JLP now has 32 seats in the 63-member Parliament and the PNP, 31.
The JLP’s Dr. Norman Dunn had originally been declared the winner after the preliminary count which gave him 7,311 votes to incumbent Green’s 7,184.
Director of Elections Orrette Fisher announced yesterday that Green had taken the seat by nine votes.
Media reports indicate that Dunn will seek a magisterial recount.
Meantime, JLP leader Andrew Holness, who is awaiting his swearing-in, has already indicated that there will be changes when he takes over as Prime Minister.
In a statement posted on social media yesterday morning, he said he met with the Cabinet Secretary and the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister to discuss the earliest route to inauguration and arranged a briefing on the important activities of the previous Government.
He said that, “as part of a JLP commitment not to be Government as usual and to change how Government works,” he indicated to the Cabinet Secretary, the Financial Secretary and the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister that he does not intend to continue the policy of selling Government vehicles to Ministers who were using them while in office. ~ Caribbean360 ~
