FOLLOWING THE chief justice's ruling, the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) says it is not hoping for a general election this year, but adds that if one is announced, it will be putting up a strong showing.

"We are not clamouring for a general election," General Secretary Peter Bunting tells The Sunday Gleaner.

The Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) majority in the House of Representatives is under threat from unfavourable court results and/or by-elections that could cause the party to relinquish power or force it to call fresh parliamentary elections. At present, the JLP holds 32 seats to the PNP's 28 in the 60-seat House of Representatives.

Election petition

JLP MP Shahine Robinson, like colleague Daryl Vaz, has been dragged to court through a similar election petition, which says she is an American citizen and is not eligible under Jamaica's Constitution to sit in Parliament. Michael Stern, another JLP MP, has had an election petition filed against him. Defeated PNP candidate Richard Azan has claimed that Stern has sworn allegiance to a foreign power and should be disqualified.

Gregory Mair, the MP for North East St Catherine, also has a case brought against him by the PNP's Phyllis Mitchell.

"I think that the prime minister is going to be led down the path of a general election. The best-case scenario for Vaz is a by-election and if the same principle follows, we are facing the possibility of four by-elections," comments political analyst Dickie Crawford.

Plethora of by-elections

Crawford adds that Prime Minister Golding may wish to put off the "plethora of by-elections and call a general election".

However, according to Bunting, the PNP's decision to contest the eligibility of the JLP's candidates has "never been to precipitate a general election or to recapture power".

But, he adds: "The prime minister, at any time, can call an election, and if he does so, we will contest and we will contest vigorously."

Meanwhile, Karl Samuda, the JLP's general secretary, says that talk of a general election is premature. "Right now we are preparing for a by-election and we are confident that we will be successful," says Samuda.

- D.L.