Portland Eastern, Kingston Central among seats that JLP will be ‘looking at closely’ in official count
KINGSTON, Jamaica — While it is confident that it has retained the 34 constituencies awarded to it on election night, after the preliminary count, the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) says there are several seats that the party will be paying keen attention to as the official count takes place.
“Clearly, Central Kingston and South East St Mary, won and lost by 12 and 11 votes based on the preliminary, we will be looking at those counts very closely,” said Kamina Johnson Smith, speaking at the JLP’s press briefing on Thursday, a day after the election.
“We are looking also at seats such as Portland Eastern and St James Southern, in respect of the results which were unanticipated perhaps in terms of the numbers and perhaps need to be looked at more closely as we go through what is a part of the democratic process,” she added.
Johnson was referring to the shock losses in Portland Eastern, as Ann-Marie Vaz was beaten by the People’s National Party’s Isat Buchanan with just over 180 votes and St James Southern, where political newcomer Nekeisha Burchell toppled the JLP’s Homer Davis with 207 votes.
With respect to their own 34 seats, the JLP says it is confident that they have been won outright, and should any changes take place, they would likely be gains for the party, not losses.
“We are approaching with all humility, respect and all reverence for the democratic process,” Johnson Smith promised.
In addressing the number of seats that were held by the JLP in 2020 that have been flipped by the PNP, Campaign Chairman Christopher Tufton said, “We have never been complacent in terms of the work we need to do, we have come out victorious, which we are very happy for… I think we have to always engage in a process of reflection…after every event there is a mode of assessment determining where we are, what we did well, what we didn’t do so well, and all of that is how we connect with people on the ground.”
Tufton added that having conceded some seats is indicative of the reality that the party has more to do, and nothing will be taken for granted.
Kamina Johnson Smith speaks during a post election press briefing on Thursday
