Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness secured a third term early Thursday (September 4, 2025) following a tight race on an island shaken by corruption, inequity and financial considerations.
Preliminary outcomes confirmed that Mr. Holness’ Jamaica Labour Party gained not less than 34 seats, whereas Mark Golding’s Opposition People’s National Party secured not less than 29 seats.
Mr. Golding conceded the election in a temporary speech, saying he was disillusioned within the consequence as he acknowledged the success of his opponent.
“This is not an easy speech to make,” he stated.
Also taking part in Wednesday’s normal elections had been the Jamaica Progressive Party, the United Independents’ Congress and 9 impartial candidates in search of a seat in numerous constituencies.
Official voter turnout was simply 38.8%, solely barely greater than the turnout for the 2020 elections throughout the pandemic. Just over 2 million registered voters are eligible to forged their ballots on the island of two.8 million folks.
A complete of 63 seats are up for grabs in Jamaica’s House of Representatives. The chief of the celebration that wins a majority turns into the island’s subsequent prime minister.
The new chief will then appoint 13 of 21 senators to Jamaica’s higher chamber of Parliament, and the opposition will select eight others.
Concerns regardless of drop in crime
Under Mr. Holness, Jamaica has seen a 43% drop in killings up to now this yr, marking essentially the most vital decline in many years. The enchancment is essentially credited to the present administration’s enhance in firearm seizures and a stronger, coordinated safety pressure presence throughout the Caribbean island.
The Jamaica Labour Party campaigned on this tangible success, positioning itself as the federal government that pulled the island again from the brink of widespread violence.
While crime statistics have improved, the shadow of Jamaica’s violent previous nonetheless lingers. The measures taken by the present authorities, together with implementing states of emergency in sure areas, have drawn each help and criticism.
The non-public sector and lots of Jamaicans have praised the effectiveness of such measures, with the variety of killings dropping by as a lot as 70 per cent in some areas, just like the vacationer parish of St. James.
However, human rights organisations have raised considerations in regards to the use and potential abuse of such measures, highlighting alleged unlawful detentions, as they name for balanced approaches to shield safety and civil liberties.
The Jamaica Labour Party additionally emphasised fiscal duty, a low unemployment charge and the significance of continuity as it urged voters not to danger reversing the progress achieved up to now.
A pledge comes underneath fireplace
On Sunday, Mr. Holness pledged that his celebration would double the present minimal wage of $100 per 40-hour workweek if reelected.
“We believe in growing the economy so that everyone gets a bigger slice. As the economy expands, we must ensure those at the bottom are rewarded fairly, while creating incentives for more Jamaicans, especially our youth, to join the labour force,” he stated at a current rally.
But his pledge drew criticism from teams representing numerous enterprise sectors.
“Tourism accounts for approximately one-third of Jamaica’s gross domestic product and is one of the country’s largest employers,” the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association stated.
“Any shifts in wage policy will therefore have wide-ranging implications for the sector, including employment levels, competitiveness and the affordability of the Jamaican tourism product.”
Tired of the circumstances’
The People’s National Party, or PNP, had adopted a sharper, extra vital tone earlier than the election. It asserted that whereas progress has been made, many Jamaicans nonetheless really feel the pinch of socioeconomic challenges, together with poverty, insufficient infrastructure and lingering pockets of crime and corruption.
“There are a lot of frustrated people tired of the conditions in which they live,” Golding instructed reporters as he voted on Wednesday.
The celebration aimed to channel public discontent into a mandate for change, promising reforms, renewed social investments and a break from what it calls “complacency” in governance.
Key among the many celebration’s raft of coverage proposals to deal with the socioeconomic woes of Jamaicans is rising the earnings tax threshold to $21,800, up from the present $11,200. The opposition celebration says it needs working-class Jamaicans to take residence extra money as a cushion in opposition to rising costs.
Despite Jamaica’s vibrant democratic custom, current years have seen a decline in ballot participation.
