KINGSTON, Jamaica – Political scientist Professor Trevor Munroe, while congratulating the candidates, the Electoral Commission of Jamaica and the wider Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) on a “vigorous but orderly” campaign and election process Sunday, also weighed in on what Andrew Holness’ reinstatement as leader of the Opposition meant for the political culture of the island.

Professor Munroe said that Holness’s victory over challenger Audley Shaw in Sunday’s JLP leadership election is a milestone in positively changing Jamaica’s political culture.

“Today’s (Sunday) event represents an important milestone in changing Jamaica’s political culture in a positive direction, by strengthening democracy in one of our major political parties and in eroding authoritarianism in one of our major political parties,” Professor Munroe told OBSERVER ONLINE.

“No leader of the Jamaica Labour Party for 70 years has either faced or put up with any significant challenge throughout the 70 years,” Professor Munroe continued.

He also said that the delegates clearly made up their own minds in deciding to reinstate Holness as the leader of the party.

“Three of the four deputy leaders [of the JLP] were in favour of Mr Shaw, including Mr Shaw himself as well as many of the prominent members of Parliament,” Professor Munroe pointed out, “but the delegates in the majority made up their own minds.”

Professor Munroe also, through anecdotal evidence, attributed more resources to Shaw’s campaign team, “but this did not result in him taking home the majority of the votes”.

“From anecdotal evidence, Audley had more resources at his command, was better organised, certainly from the number of emails I received in comparison to Andrew Holness,” Professor Munroe stated.

“The majority of the delegates appeared to reject an old-style politics, even though that [type of] politics is still very much alive,” said Professor Munroe. “Let’s not forget that 40-odd per cent voted for Audley’s approach – to give the People’s National Party (PNP) a nightmare.

“So a majority reject it, but a significant group still very much in favour of the approach that political parties have adopted over the years, not just the JLP but the PNP as well when in Opposition,” said Professor Munroe.

Two months of rigorous campaigning reached its pinnacle Sunday when just fewer than 5,000 delegates cast their vote to determine whether the incumbent Holness or his challenger Shaw would lead the JLP forward.

The polls were closed shortly after 1:00 pm, and by 2:05 pm the votes were counted and the delegates decided that Holness would remain as the leader of the party. Holness tallied 2,704 votes to Shaw’s 2,012.