April 3 meeting for no-confidence vote against Morant Bay mayor, deputy

Shanna Monteith, Gleaner Writer

A special meeting of the St Thomas Municipal Corporation has been scheduled for next Tuesday afternoon to debate a no-confidence motion against Morant Bay Mayor Lenworth Rawle, and his deputy, Michael Hue.

Minority Leader Hubert Williams wrote to the corporation's CEO Judith McKenzie Lawrence on March 22 asking for the meeting to challenge their leadership of the local authority.

In a letter dated March 26, McKenzie Lawrence advised Williams that the meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 3 at 2:00 pm.

Williams, in his letter, contended that Mayor Rawle and his deputy lack the integrity and accountability to preside over the municipal corporation.

He criticised both men following last Tuesday's ruling by the Supreme Court nullifying the election of Dean Jones, the Jamaica Labour Party councillor for the Yallahs Division.

Justice Bryan Sykes found that Jones was a civil servant at the time of the November 2016 Local Government elections in which he defeated the People's National Party (PNP's) Constantine Bogle.

The Representation of the People Act prohibits government employees from contesting local government elections.

"They all knew what was going on and, at the same time, they tried to hide and protect what they were doing so at this time we have no choice but to remove them from leadership," the minority leader said.

The PNP now holds a one-seat majority in the municipal corporation as a result of the court's ruling.

A by-election is to be held on April 27.

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