JLP concedes defeat as PNP wins Jam election
(BBC): Jamaica's opposition People's National Party has won national elections, preliminary results show, after a campaign dominated by the economy. The results mean a return by PNP leader Portia Simpson Miller to the post of PM. The ruling JLP has conceded defeat. Meanwhile, PM Andrew Holness will become one of the country's shortest-serving PMs in history. The snap election was called earlier this month by Holness who succeeded Bruce Golding as leader in October. With almost all the results declared, Simpson Miller's party had gained well over the required 32 seats for a majority in parliament.
The 66-year-old veteran politician was first elected to parliament in 1976 and became Jamaica's first woman prime minister in 2006-07. She will face deep problems, with debt running at approximately 130% of GDP and unemployment at more than 12%.
There was no immediate of claim of victory from Simpson Miller, but PNP campaign spokesman Franklyn Delano said the results left no room for doubt.
Category: World News
On the Jamaican election – Surely, the Cayman Islands are over governed.
Jamaica has one MP for every 63,000 Jamaicans
Cayman has one MP for every 2800 Caymanians
This is 23 times more MP's per capita – no wonder we are broke.
Remember that each MP costs at least $300,000.00 per year when you include salary, office, staff, expenses, and benefits.
Now is not at least one area where Caymanians can save some money?
Unfortunately using that line of logic we would only need about 1 politician, who would decide everything, would not have to debate issues etc etc, basically be a one-man government. Oh, wait a minute ……………………
Foolish. What do you propose that we have one MLA to match Jamaica's 1/63,000 of the population? Compare apples with apples. We have far less MLAs (15) than Bermuda (36 plus 12 senators) on a per capita basis.
Bushites and UDP next !
Many Jamaicans say that JLP's loss at the polls was due to their mishandling of the Dudus affair and the loss of life that followed it (around 80 persons or so were reportedly killed in the stand-off between the hoodlums and the crime-fighting forces), plus the manner in which CHEC was awarded contracts here (the ongoing controversy surrounding it requiring the AG and Anti-Corruption Commission to start investigations resulting in the dept. head being fired and the minister being removed from office), while many locals and contractors remain unemployed and yet the Chinese are allowed to bring their workers over. These things have helped to create much distrust of the incumbent government and according to the marl road in Jamaica, many Jamaicans are just plain sick and tired of politics as usual trumping the country's best interests. I hope for Jamaica's sake that the politicians will learn from this and do better for their people and not their pockets.
Personally I trust a woman to do the job as they are more trustworthy,dedicated and higher work ethics.
there is some women that is not trustworthy as well
Like Julianna?? Puulleeeaassseeee…
Please Cayman do likewise! We need that change too! We need statesmen, leadership and someone who will put Country and people first over $$$. Wake up Cayman…Do NOT let them fool ya anymore with promises. As a matter of fact, turn off your Rooster radio on Fridays.
Do women have more compassion, a better understanding of the lot of fellow citizens, are they more open minded and can they bring a different perspective to important issues? Portia Simpson has once more been handed a dirty mess. One her male counterparts didn't, or couldn't, deal with. She will need tremendous support and cooperation to bring about any positive changes. But, knowing politics, it more often than not won't be there. Then they can point and say she wasn't able. Jamaicans deserve much better government and far less corruption. I for one hope she succeeds for the sake of a good people.
Very sexist comments.
Thanks to China Harbour and their shenanigans with the Jamaica Labour Party, many of which are currently under investigation and recently resulted in the removal of one prominent Minister, the JLP has now been ousted from office. But no worry, if things start getting rough for China Harbour in Jamaica, they remain secure in their plan to move to Cayman where the UDP are " welcoming them with open pock…sorry, I mean arms".
Decorum and Grace!
I watched Mrs. Simpson-Miller’s victory acceptance last night on Carib Vision local Cable Channel 38 and was thoroughly impressed with her decorum and graceful attitude. What was further impressive was the rather large percentage of young newly elected Candidates on her platform. Moreover the typical violence that seems to go hand in hand with Jamaican politics appeared to be non-existent! Therefore a complete VICTORY all around!
Hopefully this positive trend of change for decorum and respect in politics will spill over to the Cayman Islands and a new set of Leaders merge in 2013 to balance Cayman’s budget and the lives of its people! West Bay is the lynchpin to this much needed VICTORY for the Cayman Islands. Therefore hopefully the majority of the electorate between now and then will be moved to “wote” with their good conscience for a balanced tomorrow and not for greedy shortsighted empty promises of today!
Dont worry, change is coming and some people will cry again. The change is from woman to man. We are taking all that is offered and saying oh yes we will vote for you, but wait nah, hope you dont hold your breath. All that power is and vindictiveness is not for much longer. In other Countrys Politicians go to jail for what happens in the Cayman Islands. Can one imagine all the give outs from our own pockets before now and the next election. But it nah ga wok. There are lots of disabled voters in the Brac that dont now that they are in this world, we will be watching to see if they too will vote by BALLOTS. Lets hope there is not another Paloma before the next election.
We just jump from the frying pan into the fire – oh mi lawd!
Well we know that Mac going want to change udp colors to Red now!
yes yes UDP NEXT
When a government fails to support and act in the interest of its own people. there is only but one single course of action to be taken. Cayman let us not let Jamaica be alone in making changes.
Will UDP be changing their party colour to fool the "woters" when we have elections?
Portia has no common sense and reasoning ablilty ..how can she run a country ????..Jamaicans be careful !!!
It is not only common sense she lacks; imagine born and raised in an English speaking country and does have a command for the english language. It is quite easy to say this woman is fundamentally dunce, she speaks out of context and if her speeches are not prepared lord help Jamaica.
But one thing i can assured Jamaicans they will attain the status of the second Haiti under her leadership, and those are not my words those are the words of her top PNP Executive; Dr. Peter Phillips for those that werent following check the Wikilekes. He told the United States Embassy that his government ran Jamaica into the ground for 18.5 years and he is worried that if Portia is given a term as prime minister it would be disasterous and Jamaica would become another Haiti. The US Embassy has the proof.
I guess with the visa requirements in place we will be spared the influx of Jamaicans coming to seek employment here. I have nothing against Jamaicans they are hard working people only that they dont love their country, they dont want to see better for their country, most of them think that once they have a job overseas and can provide for their families then that is good for them, they will tell you if they had to leave to make it better the other person should be able to do the same, they love their party and not their country. A PNP supporter never admit to the wrongs of its party; a JLP supporter never admit to the wrongs of its party.
The JLP party can thank Bruce Golding and Christopher 'Dudus' Coke for services well rendered in this political defeat and transfer of power back to the PNP.
Jamaica's people have a conscience and forgiveness for the 76 lives lost unnecessarily in the eventual arrest and extradition of Coke would have been unthinkable…..people must pay for the wrongs that they have done.
Good luck to the new PNP Government and God bless Jamaica….and the Cayman Islands as well.
Wow… history in the making! May God bless Jamaica, and may the bond between us and them, strengthen for the common good… for Jamaica's people and our people.
Wow, they had PJ & now Portia, and Ja claim they dont slide!
UDP next!!!
Ya wish some of gypu will never understand
Except who are we going to replace them with? Hope we get from fresh, young blood by then that don't belong to either PPM or UDP because they all have PMS.
How about giving an ex-pat a shot at it? Just asking.
Honestly there is basically no way but up from UDP. Even PPM would be a huge step forward compared to the pathetic governance by the UDP government. Now don't think I am praising PPM as much as I am saying how pathetically piss poor the UDP team is. Left alone UDP would have us in canoes now.
Will we get fresh faces in 2013 to look at? Probably yes. Will they get a seat? Nope. Unless we get a 3rd team lead by someone like Ezzard we really stand no chance of seeing Independents in our house other than Ezzard or possibly someone from Sister Islands.
My belief is the UTTER FEAR of a UDP victory will steer people to VOTE STRAIGHT PPM. Not because they love them but because they are the better of the two evils.
I myself would throw 9,999,999,999 votes to PPM before I throw one to UDP. If there were 3 people on a ballot and 2 were UDP and I had to throw three votes it would be PPM once and 2 times for me. I would prefer to spoil my ballot than give them a vote.