CLARENDON, Jamaica —The observation of COVID-19 protocols has resulted in slow voting at the Mineral Heights Primary School in Clarendon South Eastern, one of the key battleground seats in the current general elections.

This morning, when OBSERVER ONLINE visited the location, which houses 12 clusters, scores of voters were gathered in lines outside their respective polling stations, awaiting their chance to vote.

Political liaison officer with the Electoral Office of Jamaica Colin Coke told the newspaper that while voting had been progressing smoothly the process was somewhat sluggish.

“We opened on time. Voting is a little bit slow in terms of the work on the inside. I think it could be a little faster on the inside.

“Persons have to be waiting in the line a little bit longer than was anticipated. Basically each person is supposed to be in and out in five minutes

“I want to think it’s the whole COVID-19  sanitisation process (that) is adding to it, complicating the issue,” he said, noting that people were waiting closer to ten minutes instead of five.  He however expressed hope that it “will improve”.

The Opposition People’s National Party’s Patricia Duncan Sutherland is facing off with Jamaica Labour Party incumbent Pearnel Charles Jr for the seat.

Charles Jr was elected in a March 2 by-election, which was uncontested by the PNP. He polled 6,846 votes to independent candidate Dereck Lambert’s 741.

Duncan Sutherland, who ran on the PNPs ticket in the 2016 General Elections, polled 9,039 to the JLP’s Rudyard Spencer’s 9,997, losing the seat by 958 votes.

Alicia Dunkley-Willis