The first election after Jamaica gained independence was surprisingly calm and almost incident free. The security forces were deployed all across the island to manage voters and supporters, but the day ran smoothly.

Published Wednesday, February 22, 1967

Sangster Leads JLP To Decisive Win

-Labour takes 33 Seats, PNP 20

Gleaner Political Reporter

THE JAMAICA LABOUR PARTY won yesterday’s general election by 33 seats to 20, and bells were rung all over the island.  Yet less than 5,000 votes separated the parties islandwide.

This was Jamaica’s first election since independence, and it was the first time that the Jamaica Labour Party was led in the field by any person other than Sir Alexander Bustamante, the outgoing Prime Minister.

The leader, this time, was the Hon. Donald Sangster, Acting Prime Minister, who is expected to be called in by the Governor General, Sir Clifford Campbell, during the course of this week and asked to form a new Government.

No Minister of Government lost a seat in yesterday’s election.  Mr Sangster won comfortably in North-Central Clarendon, and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Norman Manley, Q.C., won easily in East Central St Andrew.

Mr Michael Manley, the younger son of Mr Manley, won his seat in Central Kingston but by a mere handful of votes.

UNEXPECTED FIGHTS

Several other candidates found unexpected fights on their hands.  Mr David Coore, Q.C., who the PNP wanted to replace Mr Vernon Arnett as Minister of Finance, had a hard fight with Mrs Joyce Hill in West Central St. Andrew. Mr Arnett himself lost to Mr E.C.L. Parkinson, the JLP Chairman.

All candidates who had switched parties lost their seats, including Mrs Rose Leon in West Rural St. Andrew, and at last night’s preliminary count, it was indicated that all other candidates outside of the two major parties had lost their deposits.

Aside from Mr Arnett, the only members of the past parliament standing for elections who lost their seats were Mr Clement Afflick (JLP) in Eastern Portland and Mr C.W. Swaby (JLP) in Western Westmoreland.

The Jamaica Labour Party, as with the 1962 elections, received most of its support from the rural areas but made surprising gains in the Corporate Area and in other urban sections of the island.

FINAL COUNT TODAY

Incomplete figures last night indicated that the poll was in the vicinity of 80.5%, but the actual percentage will not be known until the final counts, which begin at the 53 centres this morning.  More than 435,764 persons cast votes, and of this, the JLP received 219,524, or 50.37%, and the PNP 215,265, or 49.39%.

Polling yesterday was generally quiet.  There were a number of incidents, but none of a serious nature.  At one time, however, the Chief Electoral Officer, Mr R.C. Roxburgh, spent two hours touring Central Kingston in the company of a man who had said that he had received poll boxes from the JLP candidate, Mr E.K. Powell.  The man was later arrested by the police on a charge of creating public mischief.

The police and military were on duty all day and all during the last night.

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