KINGSTON (Reuters) -Jamaica’s ruling Labour Party declared victory in general elections, ushering in a third consecutive term for Prime Minister Andrew Holness who ran on promises of tax cuts.
Preliminary figures gave 34 seats to his Jamaica Labour Party and 29 to the rival People’s National Party, with a voter turnout of 39.5%, the Electoral Commission of Jamaica said on X.
“This was not an easy victory. Make no mistake about it, this was a fight,” Holness said in a televised speech late on Wednesday after People’s National Party leader Mark Golding conceded defeat.
Holness campaigned on his government’s economic record, saying it had brought prosperity to the Caribbean country with a low unemployment rate of 3.3% and reductions in poverty and crime.
He promised to cut the income tax rate from 25% to 15% and to double the national minimum wage from J$16,000 ($100.50) to J$32,000 per week on a phased basis over the next few years.
The People’s National Party had promised its own tax reforms and accused the ruling party of mismanagement – including over the cost of buying second-hand school buses.
It also raised questions over the prime minister’s statutory declarations of income, assets and liabilities. He has denied any wrongdoing.
($1 = 159.2100 Jamaican dollars)
(Reporting by Zahra Burton, Writing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
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