Uphell Purcell dropped by PNP in York Town division

Councillor Uphell Purcell has not been named among the Opposition People's National Party's (PNP) slate of candidates for the expected local government election, constitutionally due in February. 

Purcell, the representative for the York Town Division in the Clarendon Municipal Corporation, was video recorded in a compromising position last year. The video was subsequently released and widely circulated on social media. 

The councillor has maintained that he was the victim of a cybercrime. 

General secretary of the PNP, Dr Dayton Campbell, confirmed that the party had moved to replace Purcell, whose division falls within the Clarendon South Western constituency. 

Campbell told The Gleaner that the party conducted a review of the division following concerns raised by the constituency's executive. 

He said sounding on the ground and a poll conducted revealed that “he was not the most favourable”. 

Pastor Anthony Davis is expected to contest the division for the PNP. 

Purcell declined to comment when contacted by The Gleaner Friday afternoon, noting that he has decided to no longer give media interviews. 

Last week, he told The Star that he would be contesting the upcoming election. 

"I am running. The response from the people is good and has never been less than good. I am looking forward to the local government elections 100 per cent and I will be going out there to represent my people as normal," he said. 

Purcell has been the councillor for the division since 1998.  

He polled 1,107 votes in the 2016 local government election to defeat Jamaica Labour Party candidate Gavaska Plummer who received 720 votes. 

- Kimone Francis

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