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JLP secures landslide victory

A Radio Jamaica News report
 
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has secured a landslide victory over the People's National Party (PNP) in Jamaica's general election. 
 
On Thursday night, the Electoral Office of Jamaica's preliminary count had the JLP winning with 49 seats to the PNP's 14. 
 
This victory for the JLP is the first time in 52 years that the party has secured a second consecutive term in government.
 
With the unprecedented nature of the 2020 election due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the victorious JLP was forced to have a small gathering at its headquarters - a much different situation than the usual spectacle and jubilant scenes that accompany election wins.  
 
JLP campaign chairman Olivia Grange thanked Jamaica "for not giving the Jamaica Labour Party a 'dibby-dibby' win" but a decisive one. 
 
Dr. Horace Chang, the party's general secretary, who joined the gathering via Zoom, thanked Jamaicans for giving the JLP their support and pledged that the Andrew Holness-led government would take the country out of the current crisis stronger and make Jamaica "safe, secure and prosperous". 
 
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in what he called his acceptance speech, said while the win is cause for celebration, he carries "this burden with the great consideration of the expectations of not just those who elected us but those who are looking to us..." He said the ones "looking to" the party did not vote, however he hoped that through their diligent leadership, the JLP government could "make you proud and want to participate next time." 
 
"It must never be that the government that emerges from this victory takes on arrogance...takes the people for granted in any way," the JLP leader said. 
 
Mr. Holness also said he would deal decisively with the problem of corruption which dogged his administration. He warned that persons who will "be assuming state authority, who may not have the understanding of how that authority should be used...will know clearly that this government does not stand for corruption."
 
The Prime Minister also saluted Dr. Phillips for putting up a good fight. He revealed that the PNP leader had called him earlier to concede and congratulate him and was "very sportsman-like and very dignified". 
 
To PNP supporters, Mr. Holness urged: "Do not feel dejected, join us in celebrating Jamaica's victory." 
 
 
PNP stalwarts out 
  
There were several upsets in the election as PNP stalwarts Dr. Fenton Ferguson, Horace Dalley, Dr. Wykeham McNeill, Dr. Dayton Campbell and Peter Bunting, all failed to hold on to their seats. 
 
PNP leader Dr. Peter Phillips had earlier indicated that he would resign as leader of the party if he lost the election. 
 
On Thursday night, he did not speak publicly. 
 
Instead, PNP Vice President Phillip Paulwell, surrounded by a few other officials at the party's headquarters, told reporters that the loss was shocking and that Dr. Phillips would speak on Friday. 
 
Mr. Paulwell blamed the loss on the perceived disunity within the PNP following last September's contentious presidential election.
 
 
New faces 
 
Thursday's election saw many new faces being elected.
 
When the parliament reconvenes, there will be 20 first-time members.
 
On its way to victory, the JLP painted western Jamaica green, making a clean sweep of the entire county of Cornwall.
 
On the other end of the island, in the county of Surrey, the JLP swept Portland and St. Thomas, allowing the PNP only six seats, in Kingston and St. Andrew.
 
Middlesex, is where the PNP picked up most of its seats, winning one in St. Mary, Manchester, Clarendon and St. Ann and four in St. Catherine for a total of eight.
 
 
 
 
 
 


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