Swearing-in of Spanish Town mayor on hold
PLANS FOR a swearing-in ceremony today at the St Catherine Municipal Corporation have been abruptly brought to a halt.
The Peoples National Party (PNP) caucus of councillors convened on Saturday and voted for the return of Spanish Town Mayor Norman Scott and his former deputy, Ralston Wilson, to their respective positions.
However, the scheduled ceremony, slated for Monday morning, is now on hold.
The Gleaner understands that the decision stems from contentious outcomes in the Ginger Ridge and Above Rocks divisions, both set to face magisterial recounts.
In the Ginger Ridge division of St Catherine West Central, the initial victory of the PNP’s Jeremiah Edwards, by a mere four votes, was upended during the final count, with Ralston Wilson emerging victorious by a margin of seven votes. Similarly, in the Above Rocks division, incumbent Neil Powell, representing the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), faced defeat by 17 votes at the hands of the PNP’s Desmond Chambers.
“I believe in the end I will be victorious,” asserted a cautiously optimistic Powell, who has held the seat since 2016, flipping it for the JLP.
Wilson, with more than 40 years of experience as a councillor, exuded confidence, citing past victories and a purported surplus of spoiled ballots in his favour.
“There are more spoiled ballots for me than my opponent, so I should be safe,” he stated confidently, following his selection as deputy mayor.
With the PNP currently holding 22 divisions to the JLP’s 19, the anticipated outcomes of the recounts loom large, potentially altering the balance of power within the 41-member municipal body. Should both divisions swing in favour of the JLP, the party would seize control with 21 divisions to the PNP’s 20, reshaping the political landscape of St Catherine.
Efforts to glean insights from key figures, including JLP General Secretary Dr Horace Chang and his PNP counterpart Dr Dayton Campbell, proved unsuccessful, leaving the public and political observers alike on edge, awaiting further developments in this gripping saga of political intrigue and power dynamics.