Dear Editor,
The Electoral of Office of Jamaica (EOJ) and the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) should meet urgently to arrive at a solution regarding the announcement of the winner of all general or parochial elections.
In some jurisdiction it takes days or weeks before a final winner is announced, however in Jamaica a winner is announced on a first count.
In Jamaica there is a preliminary count, a final count and an optional magisterial recount, where this is done by a resident magistrate after the necessary application is made.
What prevails in Jamaica is that the EOJ announced the winner of the election on the very night of the polls and by the following day the party that was announced winner could end up with less seats and the announcement overturned.
A very serious situation is presently in the country, where the election results announced 33 seats for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), giving them victory at the polls, and 30 seats for the People’s National Party (PNP). On Sunday we were told that the PNP picked up a seat which was previously awarded to the JLP. And now we hear one more constituency may well be without decision. With the level of voter apathy and disenchantment currently in the country it was only a matter of time before we ended up with the present scenario.
International and local observers, Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections, observed the polling but not the counting. Maybe it is they didn’t envisage any of these problems.
The EOJ and EAC have a very difficult task ahead. They must ensure the country is not held in this uncertain situation again.
Will fresh elections be ordered? “Fire deh a mus mus tail, him tink a cool breeze.”
Joseph M Cornwall Sr, JP
Managing Director/CEO
House of Tranquillity Funeral Home Ltd
tranquillityfh@yahoo.com
The Electoral of Office of Jamaica (EOJ) and the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) should meet urgently to arrive at a solution regarding the announcement of the winner of all general or parochial elections.
In some jurisdiction it takes days or weeks before a final winner is announced, however in Jamaica a winner is announced on a first count.
In Jamaica there is a preliminary count, a final count and an optional magisterial recount, where this is done by a resident magistrate after the necessary application is made.
What prevails in Jamaica is that the EOJ announced the winner of the election on the very night of the polls and by the following day the party that was announced winner could end up with less seats and the announcement overturned.
A very serious situation is presently in the country, where the election results announced 33 seats for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), giving them victory at the polls, and 30 seats for the People’s National Party (PNP). On Sunday we were told that the PNP picked up a seat which was previously awarded to the JLP. And now we hear one more constituency may well be without decision. With the level of voter apathy and disenchantment currently in the country it was only a matter of time before we ended up with the present scenario.
International and local observers, Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections, observed the polling but not the counting. Maybe it is they didn’t envisage any of these problems.
The EOJ and EAC have a very difficult task ahead. They must ensure the country is not held in this uncertain situation again.
Will fresh elections be ordered? “Fire deh a mus mus tail, him tink a cool breeze.”
Joseph M Cornwall Sr, JP
Managing Director/CEO
House of Tranquillity Funeral Home Ltd
tranquillityfh@yahoo.com