Daraine Luton, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

(Left)Karl Samuda ... "They are dwelling in the past."

(Right)Donald Buchanan ... "It is not yet over."- File

THE People's National Party (PNP) may have conceded victory to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the September 3 general election, but there is every indication the party hopes to form the government from the courts.

General secretary of the party, Donald Buchanan, has said that the final results from the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) has confirmed that the party lost the election, but noted that it was not yet over.

The PNP won 27 of the 60 seats in the House of Representatives while the Labour Party won 33, thereby paving the way for the JLP to form the government for the first time since 1989.

"The conclusions of those elections are at best ongoing," Buchanan said last Friday.

On Tuesday, PNP president and outgoing Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, in a statement, said that "the People's National Party accepts the announced preliminary results, while reserving all rights under the Jamaican Constitution and our electoral laws."

elections far from over

At a press conference at the Courtleigh Hotel in St. Andrew on Friday, Buchanan said that the party had accepted the results but the elections were far from over.

"The people have spoken and we respect their voices, even as we continue to ensure that their voice is respected in all forms and respects," he said.

He added: "We are not going to allow the fact that an election result on Monday has shown up to now a certain result, to be the be all and end all, because in fact, there are issues that arise," Buchanan said.

Meanwhile, Karl Samuda, general secretary of the JLP, has said that the PNP does not stand "even the slightest chance" of forming the government after this election.

"They are dwelling in the past. They are history and that is where they will remain for a while. They can't get used to the fact that they have now been relegated to Opposition after 18 years in power," Samuda said.

Buchanan said the PNP would be seeking magisterial recounts in three seats which they lost - North Clarendon, South East St. Mary and Eastern Hanover.

Horace Dalley lost the North Clarendon seat by 226 votes; D.K. Duncan lost Eastern Hanover by nine votes; and, Harry Douglas lost the South East St. Mary seat by 34 votes.

Douglas and Duncan were declared winners immediately after Monday's election, but the results were overturned in a subsequent recount. The JLP's Tarn Peralto was awarded the South East St. Mary seat and Barrington Gray the Eastern Hanover seat.

Dalley was beaten by Laurie Brodrick.

foreign citizens

Also, beaten PNP contender for the West Portland seatAbe Dabdoub, has filed a motion against Daryl Vaz, challenging his eligibility to sit in parliament. Similarly, Manley Bowen has filed a motion against Shahine Robinson, who was elected in North East St. Ann. The proceedings are aimed at unseating the two JLP MP-elects on the basis that they are foreign citizens and hence, do not qualify to sit in Parliament.

While the PNP awaits the determination of the courts, the party said it is ready for its new role as Her Majesty's loyal opposition.

"We are now for the first time in 18 years, a political minority in the Parliament and we have now begun to look at how we are going to be approaching this new role," Buchanan said.