‘Queen of the South’ rises as PNP flips western seats in 6-6 comeback
Published:Friday | September 5, 2025 | 12:08 AMAdrian Frater/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The People’s National Party (PNP) has made significant gains in western Jamaica in Wednesday’s general election, reclaiming six of the 12 seats across Hanover, Westmoreland, St James, and Trelawny that were swept by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in 2020.
While the JLP retained national power with a narrow 34-29 seat majority in Parliament, the even 6-6 split in the west signals a rebalancing of political influence in the region long considered a bellwether in Jamaican politics. The popular vote was also tight, with the JLP edging the PNP 78,848 to 76,000, based on the preliminary count.
In a dramatic reversal, the PNP reclaimed all three Westmoreland seats it lost in 2020 – then a political shock that had seen the JLP sweep what was considered a PNP stronghold.
In Westmoreland Eastern, PNP General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell unseated the JLP’s Daniel Lawrence, 7,558 to 5,624, after replacing former Member of Parliament Luther Buchanan, who lost the seat in 2020.
Westmoreland Central saw Dwayne Vaz return to Parliament with a 9,916 to 8,385 win over George Wright, reclaiming a seat once held by PNP stalwarts Dr Karl Blythe and Roger Clarke.
In Westmoreland Western, Ian Hayles, replacing former MP Dr Wykeham McNeill on the PNP’s ticket, defeated newcomer Dr Garfield James of the JLP, reversing the party’s 2020 loss.
The PNP also made a clean sweep in Hanover, flipping both constituencies and marking a historic first as the parish will now be represented by two women in Parliament.
Andrea Purkiss defeated JLP incumbent Dave Brown in Hanover Eastern, 5,905 to 5,138, while Heatha Miller-Bennett overcame Tamika Davis in Hanover Western 6,995 to 5,907. The wins come just a year and a half after the PNP swept all local government divisions in the parish in the 2024 local government elections.
St James, where the JLP had gone 5-0 in 2020, saw the party retain four seats while losing St James South to the PNP.
Nekeisha Burchell, a newcomer, defeated the JLP’s Homer Davis, 6,483 to 6,276, becoming the first woman to win the seat and earning praise as a potential new political force, possibly cementing her ‘Queen of the South’ moniker.
However, in the other four seats, the JLP prevailed relatively easily with the party’s deputy leader, Dr Horace Chang, who has been the member of parliament for St James North Western since 2002, easily defeating the PNP’s newcomer Allan Bernard 6,312 to 3,514, while Heroy Clarke defeated Janice Allen 6,567-4,655 to cement a third term in St James Central; and Marlene Malahoo Forte repeated her 2020 win over Dr Andre Haughton, brushing aside his challenge 6,155-5,404 to become a two-term member of parliament.
Trelawny saw no changes, with the JLP successfully defending both seats.
In Trelawny Northern, Tova Hamilton was re-elected, narrowly defeating former Westmoreland Western MP Dr Wykeham McNeill 8,159 to 7,820.
In Trelawny Southern, veteran MP Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert extended her tenure, defeating Paul Patmore 6,832 to 5,215.