DARLISTON, Westmoreland – Thirty-seven year-old Luther Buchanan, who won last week’s by-election in Eastern Westmoreland, will be sworn in next Tuesday as Member of Parliament.

According to a source in Buchanan’s People’s National Party, the decision to swear in the new MP next week instead of this week’s sitting of parliament was taken in order to facilitate the presence of Prime Minister Simpson Miller at the swearing-in ceremony.

Simpson Miller is currently off the island on government business and is expected to return tomorrow night.

Last Wednesday, shortly after Buchanan was declared winner of the seat left vacant by former prime minister P J Patterson, Simpson Miller told jubilant party supporters that she would be transporting Buchanan in her official car from Jamaica House to Gordon House whenever he is to be sworn in as MP.

Meanwhile, final results in the June 7 poll released yesterday showed that Buchanan, who is also councillor for the Leamington Division of the Westmoreland Parish Council, received 6,409 votes – nearly double the 3,310 votes which went to the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Don Foote.

Ras Astor Black, president of the Jamaica Alliance Movement (JAM), received 46 ballots while 52 were rejected.

In the meantime, Buchanan, who has been a PNP councillor since 2003, said last night that he was yet to make a decision on whether or not he will resign as the councillor for the Leamington Division. “I will decide in due time.,” he said.