Jamaicans have signalled that they want a change of Government, says Golding
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Opposition Leader Mark Golding says Jamaicans have signalled to the Andrew Holness-led Government that they want a change.
Golding, who made the comment on Tuesday during his contribution to the 2024/25 Budget Debate, said this was evident by the significantly higher number of Jamaicans who voted in the February 26 Local Government Election when compared to the number that voted in 2016.
“It is noteworthy and significant that, for all the talk about voter apathy, the total votes cast in this election increased by over 81,000 (or 15 per cent), in excess of the votes cast in the 2016 Local Government Elections, moving from 545,571 in 2016 to 626,934 in 2024. Indeed, until we comprehensively clean up the voters list by a long-overdue re-verification exercise, we will continue to under-rate and denigrate the vibrancy of our democracy in the prevailing narrative about voter participation,” Golding remarked.
The Opposition leader said Jamaicans have indicated that they are ready to return the People’s National Party (PNP) to power.
He said: “All the people of Jamaica who showed us that you are ready, again, to listen to what we have to offer; who demonstrated a growing belief that better must come; who came out and provided a popular majority in support of our party, we thank you for your expression of confidence in us, and we look forward to engaging further in the year to come. We not only listened; we have learned.
“I learned that we have a very aware and astute electorate who have come to see this Government for what it is. Some are still cautious, but most are resolved. Who feels it, knows it. The people of Jamaica want change,” he added.
The closely-contested, high stakes election saw both the PNP and the governing Jamaica Labour Party appointing seven mayors each across the 14 municipal corporations.
The PNP won the popular vote nationally and in the prized Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation which ended in a 20-20 tie. By virtue of winning more votes, the party got to appoint the Mayor of Kingston, Andrew Swaby of the Vineyard Town Division. Former Mayor, Delroy Williams was named as his deputy.
