PNP Wins Local Government Elections

The ruling  People's  National Party (PNP) has won the  2012 Local Government  Elections,  gaining  149  seats  to the Opposition Jamaica Labour  Party’s (JLP) 76, with Independents winning the other two.

The elections, which were held on March 26, saw the PNP winning 12 of the 13 parish councils, including the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC). There was a tie in the Trelawny Parish Council with the PNP and the JLP winning four seats each, and the Independent candidate taking the other seat.

In the Portmore Municipal Council, the PNP also took control of the municipality. The contest also saw the ruling party’s George Lee unseating the JLP’s Keith Hinds as the Mayor of Portmore.

This is the second time in three months that the JLP is losing a national election, as on December 29, 2011, the PNP won the General Elections by gaining 42 seats to the JLP’s 21 seats.

"We have done it again,” Prime Minister and President of the PNP, the Most Hon Portia Simpson Miller said last night (March 26).

The Prime Minister said now that the elections are over, the Government can settle down and get on with the country’s affairs. She thanked  persons  who voted for the PNP and the  JLP,  emphasising that  their  action  has shown  that  democracy  is alive and well  in the country.    

The  voter  turnout   was just above 34 per cent according to the  Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ),  way  below the  53 per  cent   of registered voters  who turned  out to cast their ballot on December  29 last year.

The current number of electors on the voters’ list is 1,648,036, the same number as the November 30, 2011 voters’ list used in the General Elections.

By Godfrey Barnes