Official result hands Kingston Central back to JLP

By: Editorial

Image caption: Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters and residents of Fleet Street in downtown Kingston celebrate in their community yesterday ahead of the results of an official count that overturned Wednesday night’s preliminary results. Donovan Williams of the JLP has now been declared the victor over the Steve McGregor of the PNP.

There was a turnaround in the results of Wednesday’s general election in Kingston Central yesterday as, following the final count, retired Superintendent of Police Steve McGregor was replaced in the winning column by Donovan Williams, who previously held the seat.

In the preliminary results McGregor had won the seat for the People’s National Party (PNP), flipping it from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) which won the seat in 2020. 

Shortly after 7:20 p.m. last night, Williams appeared from the counting centre with what he said was a certified copy of the results, confirming he and not McGregor had won the fiercely contested seat.

Contacted by The Gleaner, the Electoral Office of Jamaica confirmed the official result fell in favour of the JLP. 

McGregor’s preliminary vote tally was 4,739 to Williams’ 4,227 – a 12-vote margin.

However, the official result yesterday showed that Williams polled 4,832 to McGregor’s 4,753, which was enough to turn around the preliminary results.

“I am feeling satisfied and accomplished [as I] know that the results have been certified now. I always knew that I am the winner, it was just a matter of time,” said Williams, with a relieved look on his face. 

“I had no doubt, we were serving the people, and our track record is very good, the representation was excellent in my view.”

According to Williams, the people in the community said he was responsive, which he believed accounted for the large number of JLP supporters who turned up at the counting centre to support him and who believed he was the true winner.

“Something went wrong on the [election] night,” said Williams, in reference to the night of the preliminary count. “Something was wrong and obviously some of my boxes were not involved in the count. I was always confident that we would win.”

Effort to reach McGregor were also unsuccessful as his number rang without an answer. However, based on the procedures governing elections, if he is dissatisfied with the results of the official count, he could seek redress via a magisterial recount.

With Williams winning after the official result for Kingston Central, the JLP now holds 35 seats to the PNP’s 28. 

The final count for St Mary South was also being closely watched as the preliminary result had the PNP’s Christopher Brown declared the winner with 6,642 to 6,631 for the JLP’s Norman Dunn – a close 11-vote margin.

Join the Discussion