Andre Hylton voted chairman of the PNP's St Andrew Eastern constituency executive

Former People's National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament Andre Hylton has been voted chairman of the St Andrew Eastern constituency, two weeks after delegates rejected the leadership of Danielle Hickling. 

Hylton received 37 votes in favour of his chairmanship to 26 against, at the constituency conference held on Sunday at the PNP's headquarters in St Andrew. 

His return as chairman is expected to be ratified by the party's National Executive Council, the second highest decision-making body outside of its annual conference. 

Hylton's selection as chairman puts him in contention to become the party's standard bearer in the next general election.

It comes on the heels of the August 10 rejection of Hickling who was the sole aspirant seeking to represent the party in the constituency for the next election. 

A well-placed Gleaner source had confirmed that Hickling received 73 'yes' votes and 96 'no' votes. 

The seat was last contested by Venesha Phillips for the PNP in the September 2020 General Elections. 

Phillips, the councillor for the Papine Division, was unsuccessful in her bid. She has since left the party.  

The Governing Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Fayval Williams is the parliamentary representative in that constituency. 

Williams unseated Hylton in the February 2016 general election, securing 7,140 votes to his 6,983. 

In 2011, he defeated the JLP's Dr Saphire Longmore by 254 votes. 

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.