'The public is entitled to a clear explanation'...CAFFE flags by-election delays at 3 municipal corporations

Civil society advocacy group Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) has cautioned that the continued failure to hold by-elections to fill four vacancies at three municipal corporations appears to be a breach of the country's electoral laws.

CAFFE also wants the mayors of the three municipalities to publicly explain why they have not caused by-elections to be held to fill the vacancies.

The concerns were raised in a public statement issued by CAFFE and separate letters written to the chairmen of the three municipalities on October 20.

The Maxfield Park and Seivwright Gardens divisions of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation have been vacant since last year when their respective councillors at the time, Dennis Gordon of the People’s National Party (PNP) and Delroy Williams of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), resigned to contest the parliamentary elections.

Similarly, the Morant Bay Division of the St Thomas Municipal Corporation has been vacant since last year when former PNP Councillor Yvonne Rosemarie Shaw stepped down to contest the general elections.

The Petersfield Division of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation has been vacant since former PNP Councillor Patrick Forrester died in a motor vehicle crash on September 17 last year.

The civil society group noted that under the Representation of the People Act, the chairman of a municipal corporation, once notified of a vacancy, is required to consult with the chief election officer “forthwith” so that a by-election can be held within three months.

“From the statement made by the chief election officer, it appears that you have failed to carry out the required consultation, which would have provided you with the necessary information as to the date on which it was practicable to hold the by-election,” CAFFE wrote to all three mayors.

“The law does not allow you to delay the by-election indefinitely on the basis of your own assessment as to whether or not it is feasible to.”

CAFFE said the continued failure to fill the vacancies appears to be a breach of the statutory requirement, which has “serious implications” for the constitutional and democratic rights of the citizens affected.

It noted that thousands of Jamaicans across the four divisions have been “deprived” of representation from councillors they have chosen.

The civil society group said the public is entitled to a clear explanation from all three mayors for what it claimed is the continued breach of the law and the prolonged absence of elected representatives in the four divisions.

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