KINGSTON(JIS) - Friday, August 24, 2007 - The general election, which was previously scheduled for Monday, August 27, 2007 will now be held on Monday, September 3, 2007.

In a proclamation released today (August 24) by Governor-General, His Excellency, the Most Hon. Professor Kenneth Hall, it is stated that in light of the passage across Jamaica of Hurricane Dean on August 19 and the consequent damage and dislocation to persons and property, the Governor-General in Council, is satisfied that it is expedient that the Governor-General proclaim such an adjournment.

The proclamation also states that this action by the Governor-General is granted by subsection (1) of Section 20 of the Representation of the People Act.

Following is the text of the Proclamation:

WHEREAS by Proclamation made on the 24th day of July, 2007, and published in the Gazette on the 24th day of July, 2007, in exercise of the powers conferred upon me by subsection (1) of section 65 of the Constitution of Jamaica and subsection (1) of section 19 of the Representation of the People Act, I appointed Monday the 27th day of August, 2007, as the day upon which the poll for a general election of members of the House of Representatives shall be held:

AND WHEREAS it is provided by subsection (1) of section 20 of the Representation of the People Act that where at any time between the making of any such proclamation under the said section 19 and the day appointed by such proclamation for the holding of the poll at any election, the Governor-General in Council is satisfied that it is expedient so to do, by reason of any of the circumstances mentioned in the said subsection (1), including the occurrence of any hurricane, the Governor-General may, by proclamation, adjourn the holding of the poll to some other day specified in such proclamation not being more than thirty days after the day specified in the proclamation under section 19:

AND WHEREAS it is provided by subsection (2) of section 19 that in any case to which section 20 applies, the day to which any election is adjourned shall be deemed to be the day appointed by the Governor-General and specified in the writ of election:

AND WHEREAS having regard to the passage across Jamaica on the 19th day of August, 2007, of hurricane Dean and to the consequent damage and dislocation to persons and property, the Governor-General in Council is satisfied that it is expedient that the Governor-General proclaim such an adjournment:
NOW THEREFORE, I, KENNETH OCTAVIUS HALL, Member of the Order of the Nation, Member of the Order of Jamaica, Governor-General of Jamaica, in exercise of the powers conferred upon me by subsection (1) of section 20 of the Representation of the People Act, DO HEREBY ADJOURN the day upon which the poll for a general election of members of the House of Representatives shall be held from Monday the 27th day of August, 2007, to Monday the 3rd day of September, 2007.