by Howard Campbell
Kingston, Jamaica – The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) retained power here Thursday with a resounding victory over the People’s National Party (PNP) in Jamaica’s general election.
It confirmed national polls that showed the JLP with a sizeable advantage going into the election despite a number of scandals involving senior Cabinet ministers.
Andrew Holness, who will serve a second straight term as prime minister, is one of 49 JLP candidates who won their parliamentary seats at press time.
His wife Juliet also retained her place in the House of Representatives.
The JLP held 34 of the 63 seats in parliament heading into the election.
Dr. Peter Phillips, leader of the PNP, also won his seat but had told reporters that he intends to retire from politics if his party lost the election.
Phillips, 70, was recently diagnosed with advanced colon cancer. He became leader of the PNP in 2017 following the retirement of Portia Simpson Miller, Jamaica’s first female prime minister.
Phillip Paulwell, a senior member of the PNP, described the loss as “quite shocking. All of us have to accept full responsibility but we are not going to be pointing fingers.”
Holness, 48, first became prime minister in October, 2011 after Bruce Golding resigned in wake of a corruption scandal around Christopher “Dudus” Coke, enforcer of his West Kingston constituency.
The PNP, led by Simpson Miller, easily won the election that December.
Four years ago, Holness and the JLP avenged that defeat by securing a tight 32-31 win. Since then, they have strengthed their position in parliament by winning two by-elections.
See full list of Preliminary Results: http://jamaica-elections.com/general/2020/results/resultsummary.php
