ST MARY, Jamaica — After two days of tense waiting, the Electoral Office of Jamaica on Wednesday declared that the People’s National Party (PNP) has won the majority of the seats in the St Mary Municipal Corporation.

Before Monday’s vote, the PNP held only three seats. On Wednesday, they added four more, including one female among the first-time winners. In a close race, the final tally indicated the PNP won seven divisions to the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) six.

One of the biggest upsets was in the Gayle Division, which the JLP has held for more than 20 years.  The PNP’s Jouvaughnie Byfield unseated the former deputy mayor, Jason James by 47 votes.

In the Boscobel Division, the PNP’s Fitzroy Wilson regained the seat he had lost to Leroy Sewell in 2016, while over in the Oracabessa Division, where it was the battle of the teachers, the PNP’s Ramone “Big House” Henry defeated the JLP’s Sheldon Kidd.

In the Port Maria Division, the lone female winner for the PNP, Corrine McDonald, won comfortably as she defeated the JLP’s Jermaine Smiley by 111 votes.

Everton Garvey retained the Islington Division, which he had indicated during the campaign he was hoping to win in honour of his childhood friend Lincoln Dixon, who died in March. Garvey bested Dennis Lecky by 87 votes. He is one of the four victors who are newcomers to the municipal corporation. Former Mayor Levan Freeman of the Belfield Division and Paul Ffyee of the Highgate Division maintained their seats for the PNP.

The six seats retained by the JLP are the Annotto Bay Division, held by Hugh Bryan; Lenford Danvers in Castleton; Richard Creary, Richmond, Doreen Hutchinson of the Carron Hall Division; Mitzy Hudson of Hampstead. The only newcomer for the JLP is Daunte Moulton of the Retreat Division.

– Ingrid Henry