By-elections announced for two parliamentary seats, two local government divisions

10:33 am, Wed October 30, 2024

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Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness

Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie, flanked by Mayor of May Pen Joel Williams (L) and Mayor of Morant Bay Louis Chin (R)

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Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie

By-elections will be held on Friday, November 22, for two parliamentary vacancies - Trelawny Southern and St. Andrew North Western.

This was announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness at Jamaica House on Wednesday morning.

Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie also announced at the same press conference that the by-elections to fill the two local government vacancies - one in the St. Thomas Municipal Corporation and the other in the Clarendon Municipal Corporation - will be held on November 22 as well.

Nomination Day for all four by-elections will be Wednesday, November 6.

Prime Minister Holness confirmed that Marisa Dalrymple Philibert, the former MP for Trelawny Southern will be the Jamaica Labour Party's candidate, "back by popular demand" from supporters in the constituency.

Mrs Dalrymple Philibert, who was also Speaker at the time, resigned from Parliament in September 2023, in the wake of an adverse report from the Integrity Commission.

The JLP had announced several weeks ago that Councillor Duane Smith (a current member of the Kingston & St. Andrew Municipal Corporation) will be the party's candidate for the St. Andrew North Eastern parliamentary seat, left vacant by Dr. Nigel Clarke.

In the meantime, the by-election announcement should relieve residents of the Morant Bay Division in St. Thomas who have been without representation since the death of PNP Councillor Rohan Bryan, who died on May 1 after an ongoing battle with a heart condition.

Constituents in the Aenon Town Division in Clarendon will also get to elect a new councillor on November 22.

That seat has been vacant since former Councilor Marjorie McLeod-McFarlane died in September.

Councillor McFarlane won the division for the Jamaica Labour Party in the February 26 Local Government Election.

Her passing has reduced the JLP's 12-10 majority in the Clarendon Municipal Corporation to an 11-10 split.

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