Final ballot count incomplete

The official count of the ballots, cast in the Local Government polls on Monday, has not been completed.

The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) says it had hoped to have the official results by now, but counting continues, in several parishes.

The law stipulates that the councillors must be sworn in on the first Thursday after the holding of the local polls.

However, the councillors cannot be sworn in until after the official results.

Meanwhile, tomorrow (March 29) will be decision day at several Parish Councils as the local bodies select their chairpersons.

The Chairpersons and Councillors are scheduled to be sworn in, three days after the Local Government Elections on Monday.

The governing Peoples National Party (PNP) will take charge of all, but one of the Parish Councils, following it's landslide victory at the polls.

It is not yet clear which of the two major political parties will lead the Trelawny Parish Council, as both of them ended in a deadlock, with four divisions each.

An independent candidate won the other division in Trelawny.

Communications Manager at the Local Government Ministry, Ann-Marie Mittoo says the law stipulates that the Chairpersons be elected on the first Thursday after any Local Election.

Mrs. Mittoo says the selection of mayors involves more technicalities, than that relating to Council Chairpersons.

She explains that the Councils are also likely to choose Mayors, but their selection will not be finalized tomorrow, as gazetting has to be done.