By the time the magisterial recounts in the South East St. Mary and Eastern Hanover constituencies are concluded, Donald Buchanan, general secretary for the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) believes the party's seat count will increase to 29.

Yesterday, Buchanan told The Sunday Gleaner that the party expected that in the South East St. Mary constituency, the court would order that the two boxes be counted and that in the end, comrade Harry Douglas would win that seat.

"We are cautiously confident that comrade D.K. Duncan will emerge winner," he said of Eastern Hanover.

Tarn Peralto of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) was awarded the South East St. Mary seat by 37 votes over Douglas following a magisterial recount. Douglas was declared winner by 46 votes on the night of the election.

However, battle for the seat intensified after it was discovered that two boxes containing the votes of police and election-day voters from the constituency had not been counted.

decision expected tomorrow

Lawyers representing Douglas argued that the votes in the boxes should be counted, but Peralto's lawyers secured an injunction from the court blocking the count. Both parties are now before the court arguing the matter, and a decision is expected tomorrow.

D.K. Duncan seemed to have won the Eastern Hanover seat on election night based on preliminary counts, but final counts placed him losing to Barrington Grey by nine votes. The magisterial recount in this seat is also under way.

In contrast to Buchanan, JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda is confident the South East St. Mary seat will remain with the JLP. He also believes the JLP will retain Eastern Hanover.

"As far as Eastern Hanover is concerned, we have no doubt that Mr. Barry Grey will emerge the winner."