KINGSTON, Jamaica — A People’s National Party (PNP) insider has told OBSERVER ONLINE that former Lucea Mayor Shernette Haughton has been suspended from the party. However, PNP General Secretary Paul Burke would neither deny nor confirm the report when contacted.

“What I will say is that the executive of the party met last night and the appropriate decision was made regarding Ms Haughton and that will be communicated to the NEC [National Executive Council] on Sunday,” Burke said in a telephone interview.

According to the party insider, the decision to suspend Haughton was taken at an executive meeting Monday night and her membership now hinges on whatever action is taken by the NEC, the party’s highest decision-making body outside of its annual conference.

The source said it is expected that her membership will be revoked.

OBSERVER ONLINE was unable to contact Haughton on Tuesday evening for a comment.

Haughton came under fire following a report from the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) on its investigations into activities at the Hanover Parish Council, which brought about allegations of nepotism in the awarding of contracts by her.

The party’s executive had said it considered the OCG report at its regular meeting of the Executive Committee on Monday, March 30 and accepted that there are moral principles and issues of ethical conduct which are central to the findings contained in the OCG report.

Since the allegations, the embattled councillor of the Green Island Division has issued a warning.

Haughton told OBSERVER ONLINE earlier this month that if she had to resign as councillor she would not be alone.

“If I am to resign as the councillor of the Green Island Division, the entire council will have to resign, because I am sure that I have an official diary that I kept from I took office there, up to the time I resigned as a mayor. If I should backtrack, I am sure that the entire council would have to resign,” a defiant Haughton said.

Kimone Francis