Leader of the People’s National Party (PNP) Mark Golding has accused Prime Minister Andrew Holness of the holding of the recently announced September 30 by-election for the constituency of North East St Ann.

Golding, in a statement on Wednesday, September 4, described the announcement of the by-election as ‘striking’ and ‘unprecedented’.

“It is striking and unprecedented that this by-election was announced less than 24 hours after the resignation of the Member of Parliament. It is also of some importance to note that the first notification to the Jamaican people about the resignation of a cabinet minister and senator, Mr Matthew Samuda, is within the context of announcing a by-election,” Golding said.

“The Prime Minister has clearly orchestrated the holding of this by-election, which is a slap in the face of the electors of Southern Trelawny, who have had no parliamentary representative for a full year, a quarter of the life of this House of Representatives. It is also a slap in the face of the people of Morant Bay, whose right to elect a councillor within 90 days of a vacancy was abridged by the Holness Administration using an amendment to the Representation of the People Act, a by-election that is legally due now,” he added.

Golding further noted that the Andrew Holness-led administration is becoming increasingly unpopular, and recent events show that it is on the ropes. 

“The government is in the fifth and final year of its term of office. It is becoming increasingly unpopular, and recent events show that it is on the ropes. The People’s National Party is preparing for general elections to enable the people to vote in a new government, and will not be contesting by-elections at this late stage in the run-up to the general elections,” he said.

He added that: “It is significant that parliament in 2016 legislated that there should be no by-elections for municipal corporations within a 12-month period leading up to local government elections. The Party will contest the local government by-elections, which are due as required by law, as local government elections are not due for another three and a half years.”