THE House of Representatives voted Tuesday to extend the current state of emergency (SOE), which came into effect in the St Andrew South Police Division in early July, for a further 90 days.

The House voted 46 in favour of the extension, while 17 members of parliament were absent, notably Manchester Central Member of Parliament Peter Bunting and a number of the Opposition members who supported his Rise United team in his recent challenge to Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips.

The SOE for the St Andrew South division was declared by a proclamation from the governor general on July 7, and was extended two weeks later for another 90 days.

Tuesday’s extension was fully supported by two members of parliament from the area, Angela Brown Burke (St Andrew South Western) and Anthony Hylton (St Andrew Western). The area also includes sections of Prime Minister Andrew Holness’S St Andrew West Central constituency.

The two Opposition members of parliament welcomed the extension but complained that, while their constituents felt more secure under the SOE, they say that it is not delivering what they expected. Both members of parliament have consistently sought the imposition of a zone of special operations in their constituencies.