ECJ receives official court declaration on Portmore boundary

The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) should now be in receipt of  documents from the Supreme Court confirming Tuesday's declaration which bars electors in three St. Catherine communities from casting a ballot for the country's only directly elected mayor.
  
The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) had earlier indicated that despite the declaration, it had not made changes to its preparations for the Local Government election.
  
Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Councillor candidate Lennox Hines, had challenged then Local Government Minister Noel Arscott, the Electoral Commission of Jamaica and the Attorney General over the extension of the boundaries of the Portmore Municipality.
  
Shane Dalling, the attorney representing Mr. Hines, has confirmed that the formal order of the court was served on the attorneys for the ECJ on Wednesday.

"It means the judgement of the court is now official - the court having signed and sealed the order and it being properly served that all parties to the matter have been properly notified - and therefore we're just awaiting the written judgement," he declared. 

Mr. Dalling reacted with surprise to news that the Peoples' National Party (PNP) has sought legal advice on the matter.

"I fail to see what the PNP would be seeking legal advice on because we did not take the PNP nor any member of the PNP to court. We sued agencies of the State in this matter - being the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, the Minister of Local Government and the Attorney General of Jamaica," the attorney insisted.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament Fitz Jackson, who is the PNP's Campaign Director in Portmore, said the party is awaiting information from the Electoral Office of Jamaica to determine its next move.

Ready to proceed

In the meantime, the Electoral Commission of Jamaica has said it is prepared to proceed with any of the possible scenarios in Monday's Local Government election in Portmore.
   
However, the Commission said it is still awaiting advice from the Attorney General’s Office.                    
   
In a statement Wednesday afternoon, the ECJ said it has examined all the issues raised in Tuesday's court ruling regarding the Portmore boundary.
   
It met to discuss the issues arising from the Supreme Court declaration which bars electors in Grange Lane, Quarrie Hill and Lakes Pen from casting a ballot for the Mayor of Portmore.