Back to the polls - Court of Appeal upholds Chief Justice ruling
February 28, 2009
The battle for West Portland will move from the courtroom to the polling booths on Monday, March 23, when the almost 18,000 voters are called back to cast their votes.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced the date for the by-election yesterday, hours after the Court of Appeal upheld a ruling by Chief Justice Zaila McCalla.
Golding further announced that Nomination Day would be Friday, March 6, with former Member of Parliament Daryl Vaz to contest the seat on behalf of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
"The people of West Portland have been subjected to uncertainty, ambiguity and some amount of anguish for too long. This matter must be brought to its ultimate finality. We will go to the polls to give the people a final opportunity to declare who they wish to be their representative in Parliament," Golding told a media briefing at the party's Belmont Road headquarters yesterday morning.
The JLP leader was upbeat about Vaz's chances at the polls following his victory by 944 votes in the 2007 general election.
According to Golding, the first-time MP should be back in his post as junior minister in the Office of the Prime Minister in short order.
"I have every confidence that Daryl Vaz, who will be absent from Jamaica House for the next few weeks, will report for duty on the 24th of March," Golding declared.
PNP disappointed
For its part, the People's National Party (PNP) yesterday rued the decision of the judges not to award the seat to Abe Dabdoub.
"We note this morning's (Friday) ruling of the Court of Appeal and, while we are disappointed, we acknowledge the ruling and eagerly await the written judgement," PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill told The Gleaner....
Author: Arthur Hall
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
