KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s Supreme Court has delivered a decisive ruling, rejecting a legal challenge against Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s electoral victory in the St Andrew West Central constituency. The court’s dismissal marks a significant affirmation of the country’s electoral integrity and judicial processes.
Justice Sonya Wint-Blair presided over the case brought by Paul Buchanan, an aspirant from the opposition People’s National Party (PNP), who sought judicial review of the election results. In her Monday ruling, Justice Wint-Blair determined the case was legally unarguable and described it as having suffered a ‘knock-out blow’ in judicial terms. The court found two critical flaws: the challenge was filed after the expiration of the mandatory statutory period, and the application itself lacked substantive merit.
Senator Abka Fitz-Henley, Chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Communication Task Force, welcomed the verdict as a victory for democratic principles. Fitz-Henley revealed that the JLP had anticipated this outcome based on prior legal counsel from King’s Counsel Tom Tavares-Finson, who also serves as a Commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica. ‘We are not taken aback by it,’ Fitz-Henley stated. ‘Indeed, we are of the view that it’s an indication of the upholding of our finest democratic traditions… an upholding of the rule of law.’
The JLP representative further characterized the lawsuit as part of a pattern of political strategy, accusing the PNP of employing ‘disinformation, fake news and misinformation to burnish their political agenda.’ Fitz-Henley criticized affidavits submitted by individuals aligned with Buchanan, noting that independent electoral workers from the constituency did not support the claims of irregularities. He additionally accused the Mark Golding-led PNP of targeting Prime Minister Holness with ‘untruthful allegations,’ warning that such tactics could undermine public trust in Jamaica’s democratic institutions.