ST ANDREW, Jamaica – After 10 gruelling hours of voting activities in the St Andrew East Rural constituency, supporters of both parties awaited the arrival of ballot boxes brought by election officials for the counting exercise inside the polling station at Gordon Town Community Centre.

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate is Juliet Holness, wife of party leader Andrew Holness. She is seeking to wrest the seat from the People’s National Party (PNP), who is represented by Imani Duncan-Price, the offspring of PNP stalwart DK Duncan. 

Anticipating the outcome, people converged on the town square. Some were in celebratory mode as the raucous blaring of vuvuzelas permeated the air.

Other supporters appeared pensive, while a few were locked in animated discussions.

The feedback is that the constituency enjoyed a generally peaceful day of voting, though there was report of a skirmish at the polling station at Harbour View Primary.

Representatives from the security force said they returned calm in short order.

Sanjay Myers