KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The main opposition People’s National Party (PNP), says it will not be contesting the upcoming by-election to be held in the constituency of North East St. Ann.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced the by-election, to be held on September 30.
The announcement was made following Monday’s resignation of Marsha Smith, the Member of Parliament for North East St Ann, with immediate effect.
In response, opposition leader and President of the PNP, Mark Golding, noted that his party is preparing for general elections so that the people can vote in a new government.
“The People’s National Party remains steadfast in our mission to protect and strengthen Jamaica’s democracy. We will not enter any process that seeks to undermine the principles we hold dearly. Instead, we will focus on ensuring that every Jamaican has a voice and that every constituency is treated with the fairness and respect it deserves,” Golding said.
Furthermore, Golding noted that parliament in 2016 legislated that there should be no by-elections for Municipal Corporations within 12 months of local government elections.
He said the PNP will contest the local government by-elections, which are due as required by law, as local government elections are not due for another three and a half years.
Pointing to the constituency of Trelawny Southern, which has been without a parliamentary representative for an entire year, Golding said: “It is striking and unprecedented that this by-election was announced less than 24 hours after the resignation of the Member of Parliament.”
He continued, “The prime minister has orchestrated the holding of this by-election, which is a slap in the face of the electors of Southern Trelawny, who have had no parliamentary representative for a full year, a quarter of the life of this House of Representatives. It is also a slap in the face of the people of Morant Bay, whose right to elect a councilor within 90 days of a vacancy was abridged by the Holness administration using an amendment to the Representation of the People Act. This by-election is legally due now.”
Golding also noted that the first notification to the country regarding the resignation of cabinet Minister and Senator Matthew Samuda was within the context of announcing a by-election.
“The government is in the fifth and final year of its term of office. It is becoming increasingly unpopular, and recent events show it is on the ropes,” Golding said.
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