Jamaica Observer

Posted: 2/27/2009 10:06:33 AM

THE Court of Appeal this morning ruled that the seat of West Portland is to be decided by by-election after People’s National Party (PNP) challenger Abe Dabdoub failed in his bid to unseat Daryl Vaz of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) who won the constituency in the September 2007 General Election but was later ruled ineligible for holding dual citizenship

The by-election date will be

announced in seven days.

The JLP has scheduled a press conference for 11:00 am, immediately after the anticipated ruling with the PNP also planning to respond.

Chief Justice Zaila McCalla previously ruled that Vaz be disqualified as the Jamaican Constitution does not permit a member of the legislature to hold dual citizenship, but ordered that a by-election be held to decide the fate of the seat.

Dabdoub, who received 6,033 votes to Vaz’s 6,977 at the polls, had asked Justice McCalla to hand him the seat because of the notice he had circulated in the constituency informing of Vaz’s status, but she instead ruled that a by-election be held.

Both men later appealed the decision and the appellate court reserved judgement following a short hearing in December.

Vaz was allowed to remain in the House of Representatives due to a stay of execution of Justice McCalla’s order pending the appeal.

Should Dabdoub win the by-election Jamaica could soon head into fresh general elections.

The governing JLP currently holds 32 seats in the 60-seat legislature and the Opposition PNP 28 seats, and a two-seat majority could make it difficult for Government to pass bills, as the speaker, who presides over sittings of the House, is a Government MP and only has a casting vote

This is getting to be very interesting. The ruling JLP party now holds 32 of the 60 seats and there are a few more seats in contest for the same citizenship question. Prime Minister Bruce Golding had indicated that he would rather call a new general election than hand over power as a result of court ruling. Stay tune.