Holness Commends ECJ’S Work on Realignment of Constituency Boundaries

Leader of Government Business in the Lower House and Minister of Education, Hon. Andrew Holness, has commended the work of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) in its report on the realignment of boundaries and increase in the number of constituencies.
He was speaking in the House of Representatives yesterday (March 10) where the report was approved.
The ECJ, in its report, recommends an increase in the number of constituencies from 60 to 63, with one added in St. James and two in St. Catherine in the Spanish Town and Portmore regions.
Mr. Holness told the House that most of the disagreements in relation to the realignment of boundaries were resolved.
“Those that were not resolved are now with the selected Commissioners for their final position to be taken. I want to commend the work that was done and I think Jamaica can be proud of our electoral system,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Water and Housing, Hon. Everald Warmington, stated that even though he supported the decision to increase the number of constituencies, the changes made by the Commission in a number of constituencies in
St. Catherine, were in direct contrast to recommendations submitted by the parish boundary advisory committee.
In response to Mr. Warmington, Opposition Member of Parliament for St. Andrew East Central, Dr. Peter Phillips, stated that the Lower House has long adopted a convention of accepting the recommendations of the ECJ.
“In accepting, we are doing it, because we are recalling where we are coming from; a point in time where the disputes and conflicts, which arose on account of electoral matters, threatened not only the stability of the relationships between political parties but indeed threatens the stability of the country,” Dr. Phillips stated.
The report from the ECJ also describes the mechanisms, processes and procedures that were employed by the Commission in arriving at its advice.