JLP councilor quits party, local government elections result now tied
Key Points(5)
- Winston Ennis, former deputy mayor of Kingston, has announced his departure from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to become an independent, a decision poised to significantly impact the island's recent local government elections.
- In an audio release on Tuesday, Ennis expressed feeling disrespected and cited encouragement from his family as factors behind his departure from the party.
- “I just want you all to know that I have walked away from the Jamaica Labour Party.
- I have to protect my dignity, I have to protect my values and I have to protect my family,” Ennis, the councilor for the Waterloo Division in St Andrew North Central, said.
- “The way I have been treated and disrespected, I am not having any more of it and I have walked away, so officially I am an independent,” he added.
Winston Ennis, former deputy mayor of Kingston, has announced his departure from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to become an independent, a decision poised to significantly impact the island's recent local government elections.
In an audio release on Tuesday, Ennis expressed feeling disrespected and cited encouragement from his family as factors behind his departure from the party.
“I just want you all to know that I have walked away from the Jamaica Labour Party. I have to protect my dignity, I have to protect my values and I have to protect my family,” Ennis, the councilor for the Waterloo Division in St Andrew North Central, said.
“The way I have been treated and disrespected, I am not having any more of it and I have walked away, so officially I am an independent,” he added.
Ennis' exit from the JLP would break a 20-20 tie for the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) following last Monday's local government elections, granting the People's National Party (PNP) outright control of the parish council. This move would also result in a 7-7 split between the two political parties in the number of municipal corporations won.
In an update on Saturday, the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) said the JLP emerged victorious in St Thomas, Portland, Clarendon, St James, St Elizabeth, Trelawny, and St Ann. Meanwhile, the PNP secured victories in Westmoreland, Hanover, St Mary, St Catherine, Manchester, and Portmore.
At the same time, the ECJ reported a 20-20 tie for the KSAMC.
These results contradicted what the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) first reported (seven wins for the JLP and five for the PNP).
Impact on KSAMC
Following Saturday's update on the election results, the ECJ said it had set a meeting for Thursday, March 7, where the Principal Returning Officer would oversee the selection of the PNP’s mayoral nominee and the JLP’s deputy mayoral nominee, given the tie. The PNP had won the popular vote, granting it the right to choose the mayor.
But PNP winning control of KSAMC would mean that the party would now choose the mayor and deputy mayor for the municipal corporation.
