Anderson eyes return as St Ann's Bay mayor after fraud case thrown out
Published:Wednesday | February 2, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer
ST ANN'S BAY, St Ann:
FORMER MAYOR of St Ann's Bay Ivan Anderson has vowed to once again lead the St Ann Parish Council, after walking free from the St Ann's Bay Resident Magistrate's Court.
Anderson was reacting after judge Dale Palmer upheld a no-case submission in a fraud case against him.
"Yes, I'm going back," the former mayor declared. "I'm still the councillor for the Brown's Town division and, with the life of the council to end on March 31, I intend to run for councillor and if we (People's National Party) get the majority, I'll be going back for the position of mayor."
Anderson had resigned as mayor after initially taking leave when the charge was brought against him.
He said it was now up to his lawyer, Ernest Smith, to seek some redress as the incident has seriously compromised his reputation.
"It is my character and my integrity which are at stake and I hope the media give the same attention to this as they did to the case previously ... ." Anderson said. "Right now I don't know what kind of damage control can be done at this stage."
It was alleged that Anderson sold a property and failed to turn over the entire proceeds to the owner.
But Anderson, who had maintained his innocence from the start, said the case was not brought by the owner of the property.
According to the former mayor, the owner had given him the power of attorney and had instructed him to sell the property and directed how to disburse the proceeds.
"It was someone who is not related to (the owner) and who thought she should have got some funds that brought the case against me. The persons who I was instructed to forward funds to had received their money. The matter should not have even reached the DPP (director of public prosecutions)," he said.