Shahine's back! - Robinson returning to Golding's office

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

Before the last box was counted and with victory secure, Prime Minister Bruce Golding yesterday vowed to return the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Shahine Robinson to a state ministerial post in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Robinson told The Gleaner last night that Golding had announced she would be returned to her post as state minister as soon as possible.

Robinson, ousted by the courts from her position as member of parliament (MP) several months ago, regained her place as representative for the people of North East St Ann after victory in yesterday's by-election.

Up to press time last night, there was no doubt about the former MP's win as she had already picked up 5,022 votes compared to the 1,080 votes received by Devon Evans of the Marcus Garvey People's Progressive Party. Of 154 boxes, 153 had been counted.

"The first thing on my agenda is to continue the work that I have been doing. I have many projects through the CDF (Constituency Development Fund) that I had submitted and I will continue with them," Robinson had told The Gleaner earlier.

The election was marked by a low voter turnout, with a mere 13 per cent of the nearly 40,000 electors on the constituency voters' list turning up.

The People's National Party (PNP) did not field a candidate, after claiming it had made its point in the dual citizenship court case that led to Robinson's ouster. However, buoyed by support from some PNP supporters, Evans came out with a respectable total.

The election was called after elector Manley Bowen, a one-time PNP member of parliament, took Robinson to court claiming she was not duly elected in the 2007 general election as she held dual citizenship.

After months of denial, Robinson finally admitted she also held American citizenship.