Supporters of Jamaica’s People’s National Party (PNP) on Monday protested against the Holness administration for the postponements of the Local Government Elections.
In expressing their frustration, PNP Member of Parliament for St Andrew South Eastern, Julian Robinson said that the voices of the people need to be heard.
“We are here to tell the government that you can’t continue to run from the people, you can’t continue to hide from the people. Democracy means that people have the right to be heard,” Robinson told supporters.
Last month, the Government put off the local polls for a fourth time. The postponement was approved by the Senate.
This gave allowance for local government elections to be held no later than February 28, 2024.
Last month, Leader of Government Business, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith stated that one reason for the postponement was the Government’s focus on post-COVID-19 economic recovery, which matched against the cost of holding the elections.
She said that the Government remains focused on recovery and building resilience in the interests of the Jamaican people.
She added that with the establishment of Portmore as Jamaica’s 15th parish the postponement will allow time for the “vexed issue of the arrangements regarding the attendance of Portmore’s councillors at meetings of the St. Catherine Municipal Corporation” to be addressed.
“Once we have established Portmore as Jamaica’s 15th parish and our resilience is more effectively consolidated, as the global, domestic, and economic outlooks improve, the local government elections will be held,” she said.
Local government elections, which should be held every four years, last took place in November 2016.
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