PNP boots former Mayor Benny White as candidate
Published:Thursday | July 16, 2020 | 12:00 AM
Gareth Davis Sr, Gleaner Writer
People’s National Party (PNP) caretaker for the Fellowship division in East Portland and former mayor of Port Antonio, Benny White, says he was left surprised when he was replaced as a candidate for the upcoming local government elections.
White was the party’s standard-bearer for years but was replaced about a week ago by virtually unknown Colin Bell, a businessman.
The controversial decision by the PNP regional executive body to sideline White has left a bitter taste in the mouth of the former mayor, who defected to the party from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) about 15 years ago.
“It was not something that I expected to happen at this time,” said White.
He continued, “I have done a lot of groundwork in that division, even though I lost that seat in 2016. Last year, the regional executive signed off on its list of candidates and I was assured that I would be the representative for the Fellowship division. I learned, however, that a sounding was done by the regional body recently, which probably influenced that change.
“I am not one to complain, but I am very confident that I could have won that seat in the next local government election. Whatever decision is made by my party, I stand by it and I will comply. I had discussions with the regional team, and it was suggested that maybe I should step aside and make way for a new and younger candidate. I stand ready to support my party in its quest for victory.”
Efforts to get a comment from region chairman, Dr Morais Guy, were unsuccessful as calls to his phone went unanswered.
White first won the Fellowship division in 2003 on a JLP ticket, but later, in 2005, he switched allegiance to the PNP - a move which also resulted in the ousting of then mayor, Alston Hunter.
White would go on to lose to Margaret Phillips in the very next local government election in 2007.
However, in 2011, he managed to turn the tables on Phillips, before losing to Irvin Brown of the JLP in 2016.
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