Holness says 'no contemplation' of general election in 2024

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says “there is no contemplation” of a general election before the end of the year.

He says while elections are essential to democracy, they can also disrupt the government's policy cycle. 

“Jamaica is at a critical stage in the development of the economy,” he told journalists on Wednesday after Duane Smith was nominated as the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for the St Andrew North Western by-election on November 22. 

“So, we try as best as possible not to allow politics to disrupt good policy. We do our by-elections, but we try to do them in a way that does not disrupt national affairs.”

Holness' comments follow a recent public opinion poll by Don Anderson's Market Research Services Limited, which shows the opposition People's National Party (PNP) holding a nine-point lead over the JLP.

The PNP has been pressing Holness to call a general election, constitutionally due by September 2025. 

Meanwhile, Holness has defended his decision to call the St Andrew North Western by-election, along with three others - Trelawny Southern and the Morant Bay and Aenon Town divisions - ahead of the general election. 

“Democracy always has a price in terms of the cost of the machinery of democracy, but that is nowhere as expensive as anarchy and chaos,” he said. "So, even though we always try to be frugal with everything we do whether it is the cost of by-elections or the cost of roads or whatever else the Government has to manage, the health of the democracy is indispensable and elections are critical to that."

Noting that his party is reviewing its internal systems and human resources, Holnes said the political process is critical to Jamaica's development and that more people are needed in the fold.

“I know that there are always negative views about politics and politicians but the truth is without us getting our best people into representational politics we will never truly be able to elevate the level of service we give to the public,” he said.

- Kimone Francis

Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.