KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) – The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has been re-elected to serve as government for a second consecutive term, after winning the general election, held on Thursday, September 3.
Preliminary results show that the JLP, led by Andrew Holness, has won 49 seats, while the People’s National Party (PNP), led by Dr Peter Phillips, won 14 seats.
In his victory speech at the JLP’s headquarters on Belmont Road, Holness first thanked the Almighty for sparing and guarding Jamaicans.
“Tonight, the victor is the people of Jamaica. There is indeed cause for celebration […]. As I stand here tonight, I am obviously happy to have won, but I want to assure all of you that I do carry this burden with great consideration of the expectations of not just those who elected us, but those who are looking on us for future decisions as to whether or not they will participate in the process,” Holness said.
He said the nation went into an election with the backdrop of a pandemic, and that the government will continue to work to keep everyone safe.
“You would notice that I’m speaking to you while still wearing my mask as a symbol that we are still under serious threat of the (COVID-19) pandemic,” he said.
“I want to give the assurance to Jamaicans tonight that your government will continue its effective management of the COVID pandemic, to keep you safe and to protect your livelihood. No doubt, we are entering a new phase of the pandemic, an inevitable phase of the pandemic and that will require a new strategy of management, but whatever we do, you can rest assured that we will keep you safe, we will keep our front-line workers safe, we will make the necessary allocations in our budget, so that you can be cushioned and cope with the economic fallout that accompanies the pandemic,” he said.
Holness said he received a call from Dr Phillips congratulating and wishing him well. This is the 18th general election to be held in the country since Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944.
