JLP closely monitoring official count of votes in close seats

Chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Manifesto and Achievements Committee, Kamina Johnson Smith, says the party will be closely monitoring the official counting of votes following surprise defeats in key constituencies in yesterday's general election.

She highlighted Portland Eastern, where Ann-Marie Vaz lost to the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Isat Buchanan by 135 votes, and St James Southern, where political neophyte Nekeisha Burchell unseated Homer Davis by 207 votes.

Speaking at a press conference earlier today, Johnson Smith said the outcome in those constituencies was not anticipated based on the projected numbers the JLP had “and therefore need to be looked at more closely.”

Johnson Smith noted that Kingston Central, where the PNP’s Steve McGregor edged out Donovan Williams by 12 votes, and South East St Mary, where Christopher Brown narrowly defeated Dr Norman Dunn by 11 votes, will also be closely monitored by the party.

“We are quite confident, however, that the 34 seats which the Jamaica Labour Party won, we won them outright and therefore they are unlikely to shift. And we, therefore, are in a mode of looking at what can be added as opposed to moving any other direction,” she said.

The JLP captured 34 of 63 seats in the House of Representatives in yesterday's general election, securing a historic third term.

- Sashana Small

Follow The Gleaner on X 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.