SXMElections.com

KINGSTON, Jamaica  –  A total of 489 candidates are competing for 228 divisions, plus the mayoralty of the Portmore community in today’s Local Government Elections.

The battle is really on between the two major political parties, although active independents in St Ann, Westmoreland, St Mary, St James and Hanover could decide the majority in the councils (municipal corporations) in those parishes.

While the weather could have a minor impact on voting today, violence is not expected to play any major part in the electorate’s decision.

From all appearances, the generally high level of crime and violence affecting the country has not interfered with the campaigning by the candidates leading up to today.

“We had a very peaceful campaign right across the country,” Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie, who has been leading the ruling Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) campaign, said last night.

“Everywhere we went the reception was excellent. Both sides have shown a high level of maturity and we are very happy with the response,” stated McKenzie, himself a veteran of local government politics and former mayor of Kingston.

General Secretary-designate of the opposition People’s National Party (PNP) Julian Robinson figuratively agreed with those sentiments, except for one report he said he had received from Portmore about intimidation in the Newlands area.

“Not me personally, but some issues of interference were reported from Portmore. But it has been generally peaceful, and I don’t think there have been any major incidents,” Robinson, who represents St Andrew South Eastern in the House of Representatives, said yesterday.

Dr Horace Chang, the JLP general secretary, believes that heavy rains which have been affecting the island over the past few days will not dampen the spirit of the voters, especially those supporting his party.

He said he was expecting a 35-40 per cent voter turn-out, compared with the 28-34 per cent recorded in March 2012 when the PNP retook control of all 13 councils plus Portmore.

Dr Chang, who represents St James North Western, one of the volatile areas of Montego Bay, said he had seen no politically motivated violence in the area.

“The rains have been happening for several elections now. We expect a bigger turnout than in 2012, and we expect to win nine or 10 of the councils,” he added.

A very tight race is anticipated for the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC), while the PNP is expected to easily retain the Portmore Municipal Council.

There has been no official diagnosis of the race for the only directly elected mayorship in Jamaica, which involves current acting mayor Leon Thomas for the PNP and the JLP’s only member of the council, Keith Blake. However, it is anticipated that the Government will pick up some divisions based on its performance in the February 2016 General Election which it won by one seat.

Despite losing close to 5,000 votes in Portmore due to last week’s Supreme Court decision, the PNP is expected to retain the two divisions which were most severely affected by the judgement, but is likely to lose other divisions in the municipality based on the results of February.

The JLP said it is extremely confident of retaking the 41-seat St Catherine Parish Council, which is currently held by the PNP with a 27-14 majority, as well as the Trelawny Parish Council, which it lost when a former Labourite turned independent candidate, Paul Patmore, swung the council to the PNP in 2012. Patmore has dropped out of contention this time, claiming that keeping the seat has become too costly for him personally.

However, his reason for withdrawing may resonate with other independents, as only 31 independent candidates are contesting these elections which, in the early days following Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944, were dominated by independents, including National Hero Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

In Hanover, former JLP candidates who have decided to run as independents this time could cost the governing party much-needed votes to take the council. The presence of independent PNP candidates in St Ann South Eastern opposed to MP Lisa Hanna is unlikely to affect those two seats, but the JLP said it is confident it can win the St Ann Council.

The most independents in any one seat are the four who will be contesting the Riverside Division in Hanover North Western.

One independent, Marlon Mitchell, withdrew from the contest in Bellefield, Manchester, shortly after being nominated, allegedly due to intimidation arising from a similarity with the name of another candidate.

Voting commences at 7:00 am and closes at the usual 5:00 pm. A final result is expected by midnight.