Tributes pour in for MP Dr. Winston Green following his death

 

Tributes have been coming in following the death of Dr. Winston Green, Member of Parliament for St. Mary South Eastern, who died Monday morning after falling ill.

  

The People's National Party (PNP) has said it is deeply shocked and saddened by Dr. Green's death.    

  

PNP General Secretary Julian Robinson described the St. Mary South East MP as a dedicated servant of the people.

  

Mr. Robinson, who spoke with RJR News shortly after visiting Dr. Green's family, said the Member of Parliament had come home from his constituency late Sunday night and fell ill. He died while being transported to Andrew's Memorial Hospital. 

 

Dr. Green was first elected MP for the St. Mary South Eastern constituency in 2011 and re-elected in 2016.

    

He defeated the Jamaica Labour Party's Dr. Norman Dunn in the last General Election.

    

After Dr. Dunn challenged the election results, a magisterial recount was conducted and Dr. Green was officially declared the winner by five votes.

                                                

Dr. Dunn then filed an Election Petition in the Supreme Court in March, challenging the counting by the magistrate and reported discrepancies with some of the ballots.

    

The matter was set to be heard on August 27.

 

In commenting on the the political implications of Dr. Green's death, Mr. Robinson acknowledged that there would now have to be a by-election in the constituency. However, he hastened to add that at the moment, the party was more focused on supporting Dr. Green's immediate family and friends while the party itself comes to terms with his death as a political family. 

 

In the meantime, the Jamaica Labour Party has also expressed sadness at Dr. Green's passing.

  

In a statement, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said news of Dr. Green’s death came as a surprise.

  

He remembered Dr. Green as a competent Member of Parliament.

  

JLP General Secretary Dr. Horace Chang described him as a decent human being. While noting that Dr. Green might have been under added stress because of his impending Election Petition hearing, he said news of his untimely death was "really unfortunate".  

 

RJR News also spoke with Dr. Norman Dunn, the JLP challenger for the South East St. Mary seat. Dr. Dunn said he was saddened by Dr. Green's passing and described him as a friend. 

 

When pressed on whether he would represent the JLP in a by-election, Dr, Dunn declined to comment.