Matthew Samuda Easily Wins in Monday's By-Election in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) maintained its comfortable advantage in the Parliament after the former minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Matthew Samuda, easily won Monday’s by-election in the party’s  stronghold constituency of St Ann North Eastern.

samudajJLP’s Mathew Samuda celebrating victory with supportersThe JLP controls 48 of the 63 seats in the Parliament and Samuda contested the by-election after the minister in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Marsha Smith, had last month announced her resignation with immediate effect.

According to the preliminary results, Samuda  received 4,838 votes as compared with 222 for independent candidate David Fritz Anderson and 30 for Chase Neil of the United Independents’ Congress (UIC).

The main opposition People’s National Party (PNP) did not contest the by-election, with electoral officials saying that the voter turn out was 11.6 per cent.

The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (EOJ) said the returning officer will commence the final counting of the ballots on Tuesday.

The constituency is safe for the ruling party. Shahine Robinson represented it for the past two decades before she was succeeded by Smith.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has said announcements for by-elections for the other vacant constituencies would be made within the coming months.