Councillor-elect Winston Ennis not denying he's 'walking away' from JLP

Councillor-elect Winston Ennis says he will not confirm or deny that he has indicated to colleagues that he has “walked away from the Jamaica Labour Party” (JLP) and will not be sworn in “because I have to protect my dignity”.

A voice message circulating on social media with a person claiming to be Ennis, who retained the Waterloo division in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) in last week's local government election, also indicated that “officially I am an independent” councillor.

The KSAMC is currently in a deadlock, with the JLP and the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) each winning 20 divisions.

The PNP will select the next Mayor of Kingston because it won the popular vote.

When asked on Tuesday if he was the person in the voice message, Ennis, the former deputy mayor of Kingston, told The Gleaner “I am not here to talk to any media. I don't want to talk to any media right now”.

“I am not confirming nor denying anything,” he said, adding that “I have a lot of respect for the media."

The person in the voice message complained that “the way I have been treated and disrespected, I am not having any more of it”.

“I am tired of the disrespect and I am going no further with it. So, I have walked away”.

He did not give details of the disrespect.

The person in the message also apologised “for the disappointment” his decision may cause, but insisted that “the cup is full and my heart is overflowing and my family said I should walk, and I'm walking”.

- Livern Barrett

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