There’s uncertainty about the outcome of the hotly contested election for President of the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) for the 2015/2016 administrative year, after the initial announcement of the results was recalled.
A preliminary count of the votes and a subsequent release from the Association’s Public Relations Officer has been recalled and withdrawn by the President.
A statement issued on Tuesday night by Leon Nash, JTA Public Relations Officer, said following a preliminary count, Georgia Waugh Richards, Principal of Harmon’s Primary School, had received 6079 votes in last month’s election, beating Norman Allen, Principal of Four Paths Primary and Junior High, into second place with 5,996 votes.
But, in a swift response, JTA President Dr Mark Nicely told RJR News states that the results were not final, so the contents of the release should be disregarded.
“By virtue of the closeness of the result, we have received indications from one candidate already that that candidate will be requesting at least a recount, and might also take other action,” he said.
Accordingly, he advised, the press release should not be regarded as an official announcement of the election result. It was a “premature and unauthorised” press release, he asserted, which “is not really to be regarded as the result.”
The process of determining the result was still underway, Dr. Nicely added. He said that because of the closeness of the margin of victory, determined by the preliminary count, there will have to be a recount of the votes.
The president-elect will initially succeed Doran Dixon in that capacity next month when he takes up duties as President of the JTA. Similarly, at the end of Mr. Dixon’s one-year presidency in 2015, the incoming president-elect will become the new president.
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Outcome of JTA presidential election not yet clear
