KINGSTON, Jamaica — Rosalie Hamilton, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for the Rae Town Division in Kingston has retained the seat by a margin of one vote following a magisterial recount, which ended a short while ago.

Hamilton received 1884 votes to the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Shawn McGregor’s 1883. Hamilton had won by 21 votes in the final count in the November 28 Local Government Elections.

As such, the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) will have a new Mayor in Councillor Delroy Williams of the Seivewright Gardens division of West Central St Andrew. 

This magisterial recount follows the decision of the Kingston RM Court yesterday to allow it, despite the JLP’s insistence that the PNP’s request for the recount, which was made last Monday, was outside the four-day limit allowed by law for requesting magisterial recounts.

The JLP now has control of nine councils to the PNP’s five. Previously the PNP controlled all 14 councils.