PNP General Secretary Dr. Dayton Campbell
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PNP General Secretary Dr. Dayton Campbell
By Clinton McGregor
The opposition People's National Party says it will not be contesting the by-election in North East St. Ann.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in a surprise development on Wednesday morning, announced that residents in that constituency will be casting their ballots on September 30 to fill the vacancy following Tuesday's sudden resignation of first time MP Marsha Smith, who was also the Junior Education Minister.
Nomination Day for the by-election is September 11.
But in a media release on Wednesday afternoon, the PNP said it is striking and unprecedented that this by-election was announced less than 24 hours after the resignation of the Member of Parliament.
The party also said it notes that the first notification to the Jamaican people about the resignation of a Cabinet Minister and Senator, Matthew Samuda, is within the context of announcing a by-election.
According to the PNP, the Prime Minister has clearly orchestrated the holding of this by-election which is a slap in the face of the electors of Southern Trelawny, who have had no parliamentary representative for a full year since the resignation of Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert.
The party also pointed to the long delay of the government to call by-elections in several parish council seats which have been vacant for sometime.
Against this background, PNP General Secretary Dr. Dayton Campbell announced that PNP will not be contesting the upcoming by-election.
Dr. Campbell accused the government of "trying to use the state resources to play politics... and to have serial by-elections to generate some energy in their party," adding that the PNP will not participate in the "wasting of state resources".
With the general parliamentary election due in practically less than a year, the PNP general secretary suggested the government call the general election instead of having multiple by-elections.
He said the PNP will contest the local government by-elections which are due as required by law, since local government elections are not due for another three and a half years.
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