Magisterial recounts end in KSAMC with JLP-PNP tie still intact

With legal challenges in divisions in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) settled with the tie unbroken, the People's National Party (PNP) is turning its focus to having councillor-elect for the Vineyard Town division, Andrew Swaby, installed as the new mayor of Kingston.

This follows Saturday's completion of the magisterial recount of ballots cast in the local government election in the Kintyre division.

PNP general secretary, Dr Dayton Campbell, says the count ended with the PNP's candidate Viviene Brown-Bond winning by 30 votes, two fewer than the margin in the final count. She defeated the Jamaica Labour Party's Kelvin Clarke.

"This brings the divisional count to 20 for the People's National Party and 20 for the Jamaica Labour Party, with the PNP having the popular vote, which means that the PNP will get to nominate the chairman of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation and mayor."

"That is expected to take place this coming week and the person that will be nominated is Andrew Swaby, councillor for the Vineyard Town division in South East St Andrew,"  Campbell said.

Meanwhile, the PNP abandoned its push for a magisterial recount in the Mavis Bank division, with its lawyers reportedly noting that it was unlikely there would be a change in the result.

The JLP's Lloyd Benjamin won that division with 1,282 votes over the PNP's Paul Meek with 1,261 votes.

The JLP will nominate the deputy mayor of the KSAMC.

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