Thu | Sep 4, 2025

Bellwether stays true

Published:Thursday | September 4, 2025 | 4:12 AMSashana Small/Staff Reporter
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Floyd Green is flocked by supporters shortly after his nomination last month.
File
Floyd Green is flocked by supporters shortly after his nomination last month.
Dr Miranda Wellington (centre) being escorted through the streets of Black River by supporters after her nomination in August.
File
Dr Miranda Wellington (centre) being escorted through the streets of Black River by supporters after her nomination in August.
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St Elizabeth South Western remains Jamaica’s political barometer. With Floyd Green winning the seat for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), the constituency continues its unmatched bellwether streak, once again delivering a member of parliament who will sit with the governing party – a trend that has held true since 1959.

Green polled 9,705 votes yesterday, defeating People’s National Party (PNP) newcomer Miranda Wellington, who got 8,462 votes to deliver a key win for the JLP.

Since its establishment in 1959, St Elizabeth South Western has been contested 15 times with the JLP winning eight elections and the PNP securing the other seven.

Four JLP members have held the seat; Charles Wright (1959-1972), Derrick Sangster (1980-1989), Dr Christopher Tufton (2007-2011), and Green (2016-2025)

The PNP has had three representatives in the constituency – Mel Brown (1972-1980), Donald Buchanan (1989 to 2007), and Hugh Buchanan (2011 to 2016) .

Historically, the party that captures the seat has gone on to form the Government, cementing its reputation as a bellwether constituency.

In the 2011 general election, the PNP’s Buchanan bested Tufton by only 13 votes, amassing 9,453 votes from the 27,710 people on the voters list.

But in 2016, he was defeated by newcomer Green by over 2,000 votes. Green secured 10,152 votes to Buchanan’s to 8,095 from the total of 30,199 registered voters.

Green, who served as minister of fisheries, agriculture and mining, again cemented his place in the constituency in 2020, beating the PNP’s Ewan Stephenson, 9,189 to 7,099 votes, from a registered voters count of 31,484.