Newsmaker: Politics heats up; resignation, by-election, IC reports

This week's featured overall developments as Newsmakers of the Week are the announcement of a somewhat 'surprise' by-election in the North East St Ann constituency immediately after the resignation of Marsha Smith as the Member of Parliament (MP) on Tuesday, this after serving four years in that capacity.

The week has been a whirlwind in Jamaican politics, with unexpected developments keeping the nation on its toes. The sudden resignation of Smith as a parliamentarian and state minister triggered a chain of reaction that has left many wondering what is next on the local political landscape that is once again on the front burner since February's Local Government Elections.

The Integrity Commission (IC) has added fuel to the fire by advising the public that it has submitted an investigation report, the relevant rulings, and a special report, to Parliament for tabling.

The contents of the reports remain a mystery, sparking widespread speculation about who or what they might implicate or vindicate.

Until the reports are tabled in Parliament, the local politics continues to jolt the nation, as the country seems set to undergo a long and intensive unofficial political campaign ahead of next year's national polls, unless a shorter route is taken by the Administration.

With the current hot topic being the by-election in North East St Ann, some Jamaicans appear to be split on the decision by Prime Minister Andrew Holness to announce a poll in that specific constituency at a time when the country continues to recover from Hurricane Beryl, and the economy, though stable, is not exactly motoring along.

Tongues are already wagging since the director of elections said the by-election will cost the taxpayers approximately $29.5 million.

The Opposition People's National Party (PNP) has already said that it will not be contesting the polls in the seat, a decision that has been condemned by JLP supporters.

No reason was officially given for Smith's "immediate resignation" when the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) announced the development on Tuesday.

Hours after Smith's resignation, Prime Minister Andrew Holness used his appearance at a post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday to call a by-election for the seat on Monday, September 30, with the nomination of candidates being held days earlier on Wednesday, September 11.

Marsha Smith

Former Cabinet Minister and Government Senator, Matthew Samuda, who was previously announced as the JLP caretaker for the seat, is expected to be nominated as the ruling party's candidate.

At the post-Cabinet press briefing, Holness said the developments mark a wider push by him to reorganise the Administration.

That reorganisation, based on his statements, is to see other by-elections taking place "within months" for other vacant parliamentary seats and parochial divisions.

He was pressed by reporters about his decision to call what has been perceived as a 'swift' by-election for the seat when Southern Trelawny has been without a parliamentary representative for nearly a year since the resignation of Marissa Dalrymple-Philibert, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, after the publication of an Integrity Commission (IC) investigative report relative to her statutory declarations.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness

"As I have said, we are at a stage where we are now ready to do all the by-elections; all of them will be done. It is just that this one (North East St Ann) is being done first, but all the by-elections will be done. I would say within months," declared Holness.

A by-election is expected in North Western St Andrew, as it will soon be without a representative, given that current MP there, Dr Nigel Clarke, the Finance Minister, will be appointed a Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on October 31.

Duane Smith, the son of former MP for the constituency, Derrick Smith, was announced as Clarke's replacement at the constituency level.

Duane Smith

It is not clear who will represent the JLP in Southern Trelawny, although sources within the party suggest that Dalrymple-Philibert will likely return as the party's candidate once her matter relative to the IC is resolved in her favour.

At the parochial level, there are two vacant council seats. In St Thomas, the death of the PNP's Rohan 'Washy' Bryan in May created a vacancy in the Morant Bay Division, while the JLP's hold on the Clarendon Municipal Corporation (CMC) has now moved down to 11-10 following the death of Aenon Town Division Councillor, Marjorie McLeod-McFarlane, on Sunday.

Opposition Leader and PNP President, Mark Golding, said the party will contest the Local Government by-elections in those two divisions, which are due as required by law, as municipal elections across the board are not due for another three-and-a half years.

In giving a reason for that decision, Golding stated that in 2016, Parliament legislated that there should be no by-elections for municipal corporations within a 12-month period leading up to Local Government elections.

As for the North East St Ann by-election, Golding said his party will not be contesting it, citing the party's preparation for general elections, which are due next year.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding

Further, Golding described the by-election as being held at "this late stage in the run-up to the general elections".

In his broadside against Holness, 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 (present) House of Representatives."

He said it was also a slap in the face of the people of the Morant Bay Division, "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 which is legally due now."

In citing that the Government is in the fifth and final year of its current term of office, Golding declared that, "It (the JLP Government) is becoming increasingly unpopular, and recent events show that it is on the ropes."

PNP General Secretary, Dr Dayton Campbell, picked up where Golding left off, and went on X, formerly Twitter, to suggest that Holness is using state resources for political advantage.

"The PM has shown his hand in trying to use the Government of Jamaica and state resources to play politics," Campbell suggested.

Dr Dayton Campbell

But a member of the JLP's Communication Taskforce, Senator Abka Fitz-Henley, in a statement, flayed Campbell's comments, arguing that they lack merit.

Fitz-Henley said there is context for the recent changes in the JLP Administration, such as with the resignations of Smith as MP and Samuda as a senator and Cabinet minister.

"The changes we are seeing are not simply political maneuvres. What we are really seeing is the Government structuring itself to build on economic stability which has been achieved despite multiple recurring crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Europe," Fitz-Henley stated.

He reiterated Holness' stance that the restructuring of Government will not only be at the Cabinet level, but will encompass the levels of permanent secretaries, public bodies’ chairpersons, and advisors.

Fitz-Henley went on to describe as disingenuous, the PNP's suggestion that it will not contest the North East St Ann by-election based on the principle of not supporting expenditure on a by-election process, given that a general election is due within a year.

"Truth is, Government's must govern. By-elections are part of our process under the Westminster system," the Government Senator and Parliamentary Secretary stated.

Abka Fitz-Henley

He elaborated that, "In 2001, the PNP Administration called a by-election, and then a general election was held the following year.

"Near the end of 2014, a by-election was called by the PNP Administration, and just over a year later, a general election was held in February 2016.

"This ‘Christopher Colombus-(like) discovery of principle’ espoused by Dr Campbell is typical of the PNP; their supposed principles fluctuate and are convenient," Fitz-Henley argued.

However, the PNP's caretaker candidate for North East St Ann, Ryan Simpson, a former JLP prospective candidate for South East St Ann until he was stripped last minute over COVID-related issues ahead of the 2020 General Elections, said he stood by the decision of the Opposition not to contest the poll.

This was amid some PNP supporters urging him to run as an independent candidate, while other comrades are standing behind the party, branding the by-election as waste of financial resources.

Simpson also contended that the JLP had cited financial consideration amid Hurricane Beryl’s impact on the island as a basis for not having a by-election for the Morant Bay Division, but had suddenly found the wherewithal to have a poll in North East St Ann.

Amid all the political discussions and discourses, the man of the moment, Samuda, seems set to be crowned the next MP for North East St Ann, continuing late JLP politician Shahine Robinson's four-term string of election victories in the seat, as well building on Marsha Smith's 2020 election victory there.

Speaking with reporters this week, Samuda said he is confident in his ability to retain the seat for the JLP.

In fact, he said his target is to get 10,000 labourites to vote on the day of the by-election. Over 40,000 persons are registered to vote in the seat.

"It's been a whirlwind, so I'm still admittedly processing my thoughts. I've often been a campaign manager, as opposed to a candidate, so it is a new experience and one that I'm looking forward to," Samunda indicated.

Social media users have been weighing into the issues on the political front and the latest submission of reports and rulings by the IC.

"Dah $30 million (for the by-election) could a help fix up Happy Grove High School (in Portland) faster weh mash up by Beryl. I don't support the PM (prime minister) this time around," a man said on Facebook.

"What must this PM do to please these PNP haters? They are calling for by-election and the PM is saying that he's going to have by-election, now they are saying he's a ginal," another user claimed.

In response, a woman said jokingly that, "Time don't bother come again," a reference to the PNP's campaign slogan of "Time Come".

A woman opined relative to the by-election that, "It is a strategic move to get Matthew (Samuda) into Parliament so as to give him a Cabinet position,” seemingly oblivious of the fact that Samuda just resigned from the Cabinet and only the prime minister and finance minister have to be MPs. 

"Matthew is like a Daryl Vaz; anywhere you put him he will perform. Maybe he (Samuda) will go to health (ministry) and Minister (Christopher) Tufton will go to (the) Finance (Ministry). Let’s watch the space," she suggested.

Said a male Facebook user: "This guy really a play with our democracy... Seat vacant for over a year and not a peep from him.

"Now one day after resignation… "BUY” election…," the man wrote.

Commented a woman on the decision by the Opposition not to contest the by-election: "Good decision by the PNP".

She added that, "This Government is too ... and the by-elections serve no purpose at this time so close to a general election.

"Andrew Holness looking some energy for his party from a seat that they have strong support," the woman claimed.

Another Facebook user responded to that comment, stating that, "He's (Golding) running".

Meanwhile, a woman expressed the view that the PNP will nominate an independent candidate.

"PNP can't trick we in NE (North East) St Ann. Watch when Wednesday (Nomination Day) come. Yuh ago see dem nominate someone as independent fi try challenge Matthew. Bet any money," the woman asserted.

A man claiming to be a PNP supporter, challenged that viewpoint.

"You think that the PNP so deceptive? Labourites always think bad of PNP, but guess what, a general election we want to send a signal, not a hurry come up by-election to distract the people," the man wrote.

In relation to the IC's report to be tabled in Parliament, a woman posited that, "Every time there is a development in politics, here comes the Integrity Commission; they can't he trusted!"

Added another: "We await to see what the so-called Integrity Commission coming with this time around."