After General Election Win, Jamaica’s PNP Takes Local Government Elections

PNP supporters celebrate the party’s local election win, with National Security Minister Peter Bunting (right)

By the Caribbean Journal staff, March 27 2012–Following its electoral sweep in Jamaica’s general election in December, the People’s National Party took a strong victory in Monday’s local elections.

The PNP won 149 seats to the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party’s 76 seats, with two seats taken by independents.

The PNP won 12 of 13 parish councils in Jamaica, including the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation.

There was a tie in the Trelawny Parish Council, with the PNP and JLP winning four seats, and an independent taking the remaining seat.

The PNP also took control of the Portmore Municipal Council, seeing the PNP’s George Lee unseat the JLP’s Keith Hinds as the Mayor of Portmore.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, who led the PNP’s return to power in December, said government could now settle down and “get on with the country’s affairs.”

Voter turnout was around 34 percent, according to the Electoral Office, following a 53 percent turnout in the country’s general elections.