KINGSTON, Jamaica, Wednesday January 4, 2012 Portia Simpson Miller will be sworn in as prime minister Thursday afternoon, a week after her Peoples National Party (PNP) scored a resounding victory at the polls.
Simpson Miller will take the oath of office at a 4 p.m ceremony at King’s House, PNP Spokesman Delano Franklin has confirmed.
This would be her second appointment as prime minister; the first was from March 30, 2006 to September 11, 2007.
The PNP won 42 of the 63 parliamentary seats in the December 29 general election, with the remaining 21 going to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
New Cabinet appointments are likely before the end of this week, Franklin said, adding, She is aware of the situation meaning that she has to move very speedily to put in place her government and she will do so at the appropriate time.
A release from the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) explains that all candidates who contested the poll have four days, following the completion of the official count in each constituency, to file for magisterial recounts.
The JLPs Dr. Christopher Tufton who lost the South West St. Elizabeth seat by 13 votes and the PNPs candidate for East Central St James, Cedric Stewart, who was defeated by 179 votes initially said they may seek a recount.
Dr Tufton, the JLP Deputy Leader, has since conceded victory, stating that a magisterial recount would not change the numbers enough to overturn the results.
The ECJ stated that Returning Officers are required to submit results and returns of writs, along with a report, seven days after the completion of the final count in their respective constituencies.
Copies of the writs will be issued to the Clerk of the Houses to facilitate the swearing in of Members of Parliament.
The Electoral Office will now be focusing its energies on paying the over 30,000 election day workers who served in various capacities on Election Day. It is anticipated that these payments will be completed by the end of January, the ECJ release added.
