Politics
Former PM Andrew Holness wins internal election to retain leadership of opposition Jamaica Labor Party – Audley Shaw concedes defeat
Former Finance Minister Audley Shaw (r) with the then Prime Minister and current opposition leader Andrew Holness. PHOTO/Jamaica Gleaner
(Reuters) – Jamaica’s opposition leader fended off a challenge from his party’s chief economic spokesman to retain his job on Sunday in an internal party election.
Andrew Holness, 41, leader of the center-right Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) and a former prime minister, defeated Audley Shaw, one of his deputy leaders, party officials announced.
The vote came as the Jamaica Labor Party eyes the next general election scheduled for December 2016. The campaign in this island-nation of 2.8 million inhabitants had left the 70-year-old party bitterly divided, with some observers questioning how easy it will be to heal the internal wounds after the vote.
“This is a great day for the Jamaica Labor Party,” Holness told thousands of cheering supporters after his victory was announced by JLP Chairman Robert Montague at Kingston’s National Arena.
“I will do everything within my power to make sure that the party is reunited. We have proven that this party has the political talent that is better than any other political party in Jamaica,” Holness said.
Holness captured 2,704 votes compared to 2,012 for Shaw. About 5,100 delegates were eligible to vote.
Shaw, 61, a former minister of finance, accepted defeat and pledged to work with Holness to rebuild the party that lost the December 2011 general election to the People’s National Party of current Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller.
