“Unlawful and premature” says opposition of Yallahs division by-election

The opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has declared that Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie acted unlawfully and prematurely in the announcement of the date for the staging of a by-election in the Yallahs division in St. Thomas.

McKenzie announced yesterday that the by-election will be held on April 27, with nomination day on April 10.

The by-election became necessary following Tuesday's ruling in the Supreme Court that Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Councillor for the Yallahs Division, Dean Jones, was not eligible to sit in the St. Thomas Municipal Corporation.

Chief Justice Bryan Sykes found that Jones was employed as a civil servant at the time of  his election in the November 2016 Local Government polls. 

In an interview with RJR News this morning, Opposition spokesperson on Local Government, Dr. Angela Brown-Burke said the matter is incomplete and so a by-election should not yet be held.

She says the attorney for the People's National Party's Constantine Bogle has 21 days from the date of the ruling, which was handed down on March 20, to submit his report on claims to be made from the judge's decision.

In the meantime, Dr. Brown Burke is  questioning whether the announcement of the by-election was a deliberate attempt to delay the special meeting that has been requested by People's National Party Councillors of the St. Thomas Municipal Corporation.

The Councillors requested the meeting be held next Thursday where they intended to move a No-Confidence Motion against the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Morant Bay.

Dr Brown Burke argues that the haste to set the date for the by-election in St Thomas has been interpreted as a tactic to delay the special sitting, especially because no date has been given for the other two by-elections in St. Catherine and Clarendon.