POLITICAL pomp and good-natured rivalry were the order of the day Monday as nine independents, 54 representatives of two minor parties, and 63 each from the two major parties threw their hats into the ring for a chance to serve the people of Jamaica in Parliament.

According to the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, there were no major incidents reported on nomination day.

Candidates and supporters of the Jamaica Labour Party and People’s National Party were predictably loud and over the top, seizing the opportunity to make the case for why their respective parties should be elected on September 3.

The minor parties and independents were, for the most part, more subdued, but their numbers have raised a few eyebrows. Three of the nine independents will contest Westmoreland seats, for example, with one in each constituency. The others are running in St Thomas Eastern, St James West Central, Hanover Western, St Catherine North Eastern, St Andrew East Central, and St Andrew South Western.

Meanwhile, there are 47 candidates from the Jamaica Progressive Party (JPP) and seven from the United Independents Congress (UIC).

The 189 candidates are mostly male: 136 men to 53 women.

In contrast, the six candidates from the two major parties nominated for by-elections to be held in Denham Town, Chancery Hall, and Olympic Gardens on September 3 are evenly split by gender. There was no nomination for a fourth local government by-election which was initially announced, Seiveright Gardens, as the vacancy is yet to be recorded in the minutes of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation.

The Jamaica Observer had teams across the country with nomination day stories on pages 3 to 10.