Final day for candidates to file election expenses
Published:Tuesday | April 5, 2016 | 12:00 AM
Today is the final day for all candidates who contested the February general election, or their agents, to file returns on their election expenses with the returning officer in their respective constituencies.
According to the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, under the law, candidates who contested the general election must file returns up to six weeks later.
Failure to meet today's deadline could result in stiff penalties.
In accordance with Section 101 of the Representation of the People Act, any candidate or his agent who fails to make a return or makes a false declaration in his return commits an offence and, on conviction before the Circuit Court, is liable to a fine of between $20,000 and $80,000.
Failure to file can also result in imprisonment of up to three years.
Additionally, the court may order that the offender be disqualified from holding any post of election officer for a period of not less than seven years from date of conviction.
One hundred and fifty-two candidates - 126 men and 26 women - contested the general election.
PARTY CANDIDATES
The two major political parties - People's National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) - both had 63 candidates each.
The National Democratic Movement put forward seven candidates; the Marcus Garvey People's Political Party nominated six; the People's Progressive Party presented two; and HOPE had one. There were 10 independent candidates.
The Andrew Holness-led JLP won the 17th general election since universal adult suffrage by the slimmest margin in Jamaica's political history - one parliamentary seat. Of the 63 constituencies, the JLP won 32 to the PNP's 31.