Correction & Clarifiation

In a story published in yesterday’s Gleaner under the headline ‘JAS election results confirmed’, it was stated that Maria Azan led farmers in a protest outside the offices of the Jamaica Agricultural Society on Church Street in Kingston. However, Azan was present, she did not, in fact, lead the protest. We regret the error.

Glendon Harris was yesterday officially declared the president-elect of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS).

Harris was named the winner following a recount of ballots cast during last Wednesday's election at the Denbigh Agricultural Showg-round in Clarendon.

Harris' thin majority was narrowed even more following yesterday's recount, which showed he had won the seat by only four votes over his opponent, Allan Rickards, to poll 210 to 206 votes.

His team members, outgoing JAS president Senator Norman Grant, and attorney-at-law Glen Cruickshank, were also officially announced as the winners of the first and second vice-presidential slots.

Grant polled 175 votes to defeat his opponent Bob Miller, who garnered only 136 votes.

Meanwhile, Cruickshank received 160 votes to defeat Maria Azan, who polled 146 votes.

Protesters

But yesterday's announcement did not go down well with some farmers, who demonstrated outside the JAS main office on Church Street in Kingston in the afternoon.

The protesters, led by Azan, insisted the elections should be annulled and fresh elections called.

They argued that Wednesday's poll was complicated and unfair and made deliberately so to frustrate ignorant farmers.

They threatened to boycott the annual Denbigh Agricultural Show in Clarendon, to be held at the end of the month. It is the JAS's main annual event.

Despite the protests by some of Rickards supporters, director of the JAS's elections, Noel Lee, maintained that the polls had been free and fair.

He said that although the polls opened late Wednesday afternoon, the process ran smoothly.

Harris will be installed as president in September.