In the north-eastern parishes of St Thomas, Portland, St Mary, and St Ann the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) was able to acquire two new seats in last Thursday’s general election while holding on strongly to those won in 2011.

The People’s National Party (PNP) lost ground as the national and parish trends showed a definite movement towards the JLP.

THE ST THOMAS CONSTITUENCIES

ST THOMAS EASTERN – The status quo was maintained in St Thomas with both parties winning one seat each. The PNP’s Dr Fenton Ferguson repelled the feisty challenge of Delano Seiveright in St Thomas Eastern to become a ‘six star general’. It was a particularly good triumph for Dr Ferguson who was beset during his tenure as heath minister with severe criticism regarding his handling of the Chik-V virus and other related issues. Seiveright was loud and omnipresent in the media but in the end the good doctor prevailed with an increased majority.

PRELIMINARY RESULT 2016

Dr Fenton Ferguson PNP 8,854

Delano Seiveright JLP 7,243

Victory Margin 1,611

RESULT 2011 ELECTIONS

Dr Fenton Ferguson PNP 8,018

Dr Patrece Charles Freeman JLP 7,545

Victory Margin 473

ST THOMAS WESTERN -In St Thomas Western, the JLP’s James Robertson makes his fourth consecutive trip to Gordon House as he more than staved off the spirited challenge of Marsha Francis of the PNP. It was close in the end with Robertson getting home by a margin of 381 votes.

PRELIMINARY RESULT 2016

James Robertson JLP 9,590

Marsha Francis PNP 9,209

Victory Margin 381

RESULT 2011 ELECTIONS

James Robertson JLP 8,969

Leonard Green PNP 8,652

Victory Margin 317

ST THOMAS 2016 JLP 1 seat PNP 1 seat

ST THOMAS 2011 JLP 1 seat PNP 1 seat

THE ST MARY CONSTITUENCIES

ST MARY CENTRAL – The JLP gained one seat officially after the preliminary count. The first whiff of a change towards the JLP, came early after the polls closed at 5:00 pm on Election Day 2016 when some first results indicated that the PNP stronghold of St Mary Central was under threat. The St Mary Central ramparts defended by the PNP’s Dr Morais Guy were being shaken by unknown pretender Jason James. In the end, Dr Guy was able to calm the waters to record his fourth consecutive win in St Mary Central although with a reduced margin.

PRELIMINARY RESULT 2016

Morais Guy PNP 7,995

Jason James JLP 6,185

Victory Margin 1,810

RESULT 2011 ELECTIONS

Morais Guy PNP 8,585

Lennon Richards JLP 5,800

Victory Margin 2,785

ST MARY SOUTH EASTERN – As could easily be predicted, this seat came down to another cliff hanging with Dr Norman Dunn of the JLP, a first timer riding the crest of an overall national swing for his party getting home by a slim majority of 127 over incumbent Winston Green. Then came the bombshell that after a recount, Green had been officially decalred the winner by nine votes. This will now certainly occasion a magisterial recount.

PRELIMINARY RESULT 2016

Norman Dunn JLP 7,311

Winston Green PNP 7184

Victory Margin 127

RESULT 2011 ELECTIONS

Winston Green PNP 7,554

Richard Andrew Creary JLP 7,134

Victory Margin 420

ST MARY WESTERN – The contest was a rehash of the 2011 elections with Jolyan Silvera of the PNP against Robert Montague of the JLP. Montague a big wig in his party who was humbled in 2011 by Silvera was seeking revenge and a return to the Lower House.

The sounds were out from early that Montague had repaired himself with voters in the constituency and that Silvera was napping with not even the presence of former Prime Minister P J Patterson in the constituency days before the elections having an impact on the eventual outcome. Montague is back in the Lower House much to the delight of labourites. This was a massive win by Montague.

PRELIMINARY RESULT 2016

Robert Montague JLP 11,663

Jolyan Silvera PNP 8,120

Victory Margin 3,543

RESULT 2011 ELECTIONS

Jolyan Silvera PNP 9,693

Robert Montague JLP 9,466

Victory Margin 227

ST MARY 2016 JLP 1 seat PNP 2(pending a certain magisterial recount)

ST MARY 2011 JLP 0 seats PNP 3 seats

ST ANN CONSTITUENCIES

ST ANN NORTH WESTERN – The PNP’s Dr Dayton Campbell and the JLP’s Othneil Lawrence came up against each other for the second time. In 2011, Campbell ran out the winner by 843 votes and on Thursday last he repeated with a margin reduced to 365. This was a closely watched seat by both parties with Campbell despite his great community work coming under extreme pressure in the early part of the vote count. A narrow PNP win.

PRELIMINARY RESULT 2016

Dayton Campbell PNP 8,449

Othneil Lawrence JLP 8,084

Victory Margin 365

RESULT 2011 ELECTIONS

Dayton Campbell PNP 8,674

Othneil Lawrence JLP 7,831

Victory Margin 843

ST ANN NORTH EASTERN – The Shahine Robinson JLP train keeps steaming along with another facile victory, this time over the PNP’s Desmond Gilmore. Robinson increased her margin from 1,128 in 2011 to 2,900 in 2016 to post her fourth consecutive hold on the constituency.

PRELIMINARY RESULT 2016

Shahine Robinson JLP 10,669

Desmond Gilmore PNP 7,799

Victory Margin 2,900

RESULT 2011 ELECTIONS

Shahine Robinson JLP 9,501

Paul Stewart PNP 8,373

Victory Margin 1,128

ST ANN SOUTH EASTERN – The PNP even in its darkest times of 1980 won this seat with Lisa Hanna continuing the trend but with a reduced majority over the JLP’s Ivan Anderson.

PRELIMINARY RESULT 2016

Lisa Hanna PNP 8,056

Ivan Anderson JLP 4,919

Victory Margin 3,137

RESULT 2011 ELECTIONS

Lisa Rene Hanna PNP 8,996

Oniel Lorenzo Esteen JLP 4,751

Victory Margin 4, 245

ST ANN SOUTH WESTERN – One of the most watched seats on election day with the JLP making a strong attempt to retake this one which it considers to be a natural part of its existence. JLP newcomer Zavia Mayne was barely able to get the job done with a narrow win of 120 votes over departing Member of Parliament, Keith Walford. Walford had defeated Ernie Smith in 2011 by 822 votes.

PRELIMINARY RESULT 2016

Zavia Mayne JLP 6,992

Keith Walford PNP 6,872

Victory Margin 120

RESULT 2011 ELECTIONS

Keith Walford PNP 6,525

Ernest Smith JLP 5,703

Victory Margin 822

ST ANN 2016 JLP 3 seat PNP 1 seat

ST ANN 2011 JLP 1 seat PNP 3 seats

PORTLAND CONSTITUENCIES

PORTLAND EASTERN – Despite some difficulties with the selection of a candidate, the PNP’s Dr Lynvale Bloomfield not only withstood the challenge but went against the grain of the national swing significantly increasing his margin of victory over JLP rival Derron Wood. Bloomfield was winning for the second time in a row.

PRELIMINARY RESULT 2016

Lynvale Bloomfield PNP 8,580

Derron Wood JLP 6,345

Victory Margin 2,235

RESULT 2011 ELECTIONS

Dr Lynvale Bloomfield PNP 9,316

Patrick Monclair Lee JLP 8,070

Victory Margin 1,246

PORTLAND WESTERN – Nothing has changed here as Daryl Vaz of the JLP continued on his winning ways. Vaz has now won the seat three times in succession.

PRELIMINARY RESULT 2016

Daryl Vaz JLP 7,478

Vernon Hemmings PNP 5,937

Victory Margin 1,541

RESULT 2011 ELECTIONS

Daryl Vaz JLP 7,422

Rohan Quest PNP 6,593

Victory Margin 829

PORTLAND 2016 JLP 1 seat PNP 1

PORTLAND 2011 JLP 1 seat PNP 1