Holness confirms no Seivwright Gardens Division by-election

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has confirmed that the by-election for the Seivwright Gardens division announced for September 3 will not be held at that time.

Holness confirmed the development while speaking to journalists outside the Waltham Park New Testament Church of God in St Andrew, where he was nominated for a seventh time to contest the St Andrew West Central seat in the general election.

The Seivwright Gardens division is in that constituency.

“There was no nomination or elections. Just to be clear. The law gives the authority to call a by-election when there is a vacancy to the mayor. The mayor was not so minded,” said Holness.

Electoral Office of Jamaica officials confirmed earlier that there had been no nomination of candidates for the by-election.

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The Electoral Commission of Jamaica has not issued a statement on the matter.

Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby had argued that Holness and Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie had no authority to do so when they jointly announced the date for the by-election on August 10.

The PNP said it was prepared to go to court over the matter.

Under Section 56 of the Local Governance Act, “ a by-election to supply a vacancy in any electoral division within the area of jurisdiction of a municipal corporation (whether or not the electoral division also lies within the area of jurisdiction of a city municipality) shall be held on such day as the chairperson of the municipal corporation shall direct by order published in the Gazette after consultation with the chief electoral officer, being the earlier of — (a) a day within three months after the vacancy has been entered in the minutes of the council; or (b) a day within three months after notice in writing of the occurrence of the vacancy has been given to the chairperson of the municipal corporation by two persons who were entitled to vote at the last election of a councillor for that electoral division.”

- Kimone Francis