KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC—Less than 24 hours after incumbent Marsha Smith announced her resignation with immediate effect, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced Wednesday that a by-election will be held in the North East St Ann constituency at the end of the month.
“Today, I am announcing that a by-election will be held in the constituency North East St Ann. The Nomination day will be September 11, 2024, and the by-election day will be September 30, 2024,“ Holness said
On Tuesday, Holness thanked the outgoing Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Youth for her service in representational politics.
“At a later stage, I will announce a new appointment for Marsha, who has excellent skills and experience in industrial relations,” Holness told reporters.
Speaking at the weekly post-cabinet news conference, Prime Minister Holness said that Matthew Samuda, the Government Senator and Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, has resigned from both posts to facilitate his nomination as the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) candidate for the constituency.
Smith had defeated Keith Brown of the main opposition People’s National Party (PNP) by 4,442 votes, polling 9,169 to her opponent’s 4,747 in the 2020 general election.
The constituency is safe for the ruling Jamaica Labor Party (JLP). Shahine Robinson represented it for the past two decades before she was succeeded by Smith.
Holness also said announcements for by-elections for the other vacant constituencies would be made within the coming months.
The Trelawny Southern seat has been vacant since last September following the resignation of the JLP’s Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert. The government will also face a by-ele, who is leaving his ministerial post to accept the position of deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
he JLP controls 48 out of the 63 seats in the Parliament.
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