Skip to main content

Jamaican election: Labour Party wins narrow victory

Mr Holness after casting his vote at a polling station during general election in Kingston, Jamaica February 25, 2016Image copyright Reuters
Image caption Andrew Holness has pledged to create more jobs

The opposition Jamaica Labour Party has won the general election after a campaign dominated by economic issues.

The party's leader Andrew Holness, 43, vowed to create jobs, grow the economy and improve education and healthcare.

Labour won 33 of the country's 63 seats in a vote with a 47% turnout, beating the People's National Party of Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller.

Jamaica is heavily indebted, but austerity measures introduced by Ms Simpson Miller have led to growth.

"We don't take it that we have won a prize," Mr Holness told supporters. "The cost of victory is to keep the commitments we have made."

 

During the campaign, Mr Holness said he wanted to turn Jamaica into "the Silicon Valley of the Caribbean".

Youth unemployment in the country currently stands at 38%.

In 2013, under Ms Simpson Miller, the country agreed to a four-year International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan package in exchange for swapping its debt.

Inflation fell to a 48-year low during her time in office. Last year GDP grew by 1.3%, according to World Bank figures.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Gilbakka posted:

BIBI HANIFFA WRITES: 

Jamaican Election. Opposition clenches Win!

 

GILBAKKA'S FRIDAY LESSON: CLENCHES means "closes fingers or hand into a tight ball especially when feeling extreme anger."

CLINCHES means "confirms, brings off or pulls off."

[We ent want dem Jamaicans tink we is dunces, eh]

 

 

 

Te he he.  A slip of the finger is no fault of the mind.  But you are right.  Thanks for the correction!  You behaving like dem boys in the opposition - Tarp as a Shack!!!!!

Bibi Haniffa
Pointblank posted:
Bibi Haniffa posted:

Y'all see a pattern developing here?  Guyana, T&T, Jamaica!

The revolution started with Guyana

Do we really want this revolution to start with Guyana?  Probably not.  Did Donald Ramotar, Kamla Persad Bissessar, and Portia Simpson Miller all make the same mistake or are they simply victims of the same imperialist hegemony whose agenda is to destabilize the region for the gain of profits.  Those of us who are lovers of comparative politics will find some startling similarities when we take a close look.

Let us reflect for a moment and think about the destabilization of the Latin American region starting with Panama in 1989 when Manuel Noriega was deposed, president  Guillermo Endara sworn into office, and the Panamanian Defense Force dissolved. Then there was the overthrow of  Samoza in Nicaragua in the early 80s.  Earlier that that was The Dirty War in Argentina from 1974 to 1983.  There were similar stories in many other Latin American countries.  The one glaring similarity - military dictatorships were installed in all of these countries by the imperialist.

Bibi Haniffa
caribny posted:
Bibi Haniffa posted:

Y'all see a pattern developing here?  Guyana, T&T, Jamaica!

More than that.  St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, and St Kitts Nevis as well.

Only St Vincent, Barbados and Dominica returned the same parties to power.

Welcome Back Carib.  This is the reason why I missed you from this forum.  You are in the know.  Can you imagine how hard it was to deal with those AFC guys who lack the substance and intellectual capacity that you have?   

Bibi Haniffa
Bibi Haniffa posted:
caribny posted:
Bibi Haniffa posted:

Y'all see a pattern developing here?  Guyana, T&T, Jamaica!

More than that.  St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, and St Kitts Nevis as well.

Only St Vincent, Barbados and Dominica returned the same parties to power.

Welcome Back Carib.  This is the reason why I missed you from this forum.  You are in the know.  Can you imagine how hard it was to deal with those AFC guys who lack the substance and intellectual capacity that you have?   

Glad that I can teach you something.

FM

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×