St Ann PC makes move to push out Anderson

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

Embattled Mayor of St Ann's Bay, Ivan Anderson, is to face even further pressure to resign, this time from within the ranks of the St Ann Parish Council.

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillors served notice during a special council meeting on Wednesday that a no-confidence motion would be brought against him when the council meets for the first time in the new year on January 13.

Anderson, who represents the People's National Party (PNP), was hit with fraud-related charges recently, after which he took leave from his post as chairman of the council and mayor. He is currently out on bail.

Councillor for the Exchange division and former mayor, Delroy Giscombe, said yesterday that the meeting was called to discuss problems as they relate specifically to Anderson's case in order "to set things straight for the coming year".

Giscombe told The Gleaner: "The motion is to be brought forward to be part of the agenda to discuss at the next meeting."

Robb acting

He said people in the parish would not feel confident having a mayor who has been arrested and charged.

Deputy Mayor Vinnette Robb has been acting as mayor of the 16-man council, split eight-to-eight between the JLP and her party, the PNP.

With Robb acting as mayor, the JLP councillors wanted the acting deputy to be from the JLP side but the PNP councillors would have none of it.

"We were proposing that Councillor Dallas Dickenson, of the St Ann's Bay division, be the acting deputy mayor, but the PNP opposed and that is why we are moving the motion of no confidence," Giscombe said.

If the no-confidence motion is successful, it would mean that Anderson would be ousted from his post and Robb installed as mayor and coucil chair.