WESTERN BUREAU — The People’s National Party’s hierarchy has refused to give the nod to three of its sitting councillors in the St James Parish Council, who had expressed an interest in seeking re-election in next month’s local government polls.

The trio include Councillor Charmaine Richards of the Mount Salem Division; Councillor Ronald Anglin of the Montego Bay/North East Division; and Councillor Melvin Ottey of the Spring Gardens Division.

Now only five of the original batch of 15 PNP councillors will be seeking re-election. These are:

* Michael Troupe, Granville Division;

* Donald Colomathi, Spring Mount;

* Glendon Harris, Maroon Town;

* Cebert Stewart, Somerton; and

* Gerard Mitchell who now represents Salt Spring.

Earlier this month, seven other PNP councillors, including sitting mayor Hugh Solomon — who made an unsuccessful run for the West Central St James seat in last year’s general election — indicated that they would not be running again. The others are:

* Erica DeSilva of the Flankers Division;

* Dr Ucal Thompson, Railway Gardens/ MoBay West;

* Kirk Taylor, Glendevon/MoBay North;

* Phylene Wilson, Welcome Hall;

* Dennis Wanliss, Catadupa; and

* Roxroy Barrett, the MoBay South Division.

The two sitting Jamaica Labour Party councillors, Harold “Big Daddy” Henry (Rose Hall) and Heroy Clarke (Rose Mount), will both be seeking re-election.

Still reeling from the loss of three of the four constituencies in St James in the October 16 general elections, the PNP is at pains to retain its hold on the St James Parish Council. But the JLP is working equally hard to correct the imbalance that now exists with only two seats on the council.

In the past few weeks, JLP deputy leader with responsibility for Area Four, Ed Bartlett has been cranking up the election machinery and presenting candidates to the masses.

But now, the PNP has begun shuffling its deck of cards, in an obvious effort to bring home as many seats as possible.

According to an Observer source, Mitchell, who is now Montego Bay’s deputy mayor, has been tipped to replace Richards in her division, which is regarded as a safe seat. Mitchell currently has responsibility for the Salt Spring Division and Patrick Rose-Green, a former PNP member of parliament (MP) for West Central St James, is tipped to replace him there.

Mitchell, who is also the current chairman of the Montego Bay city council, is seen as potentially the next mayor but there have been concerns from within the PNP camp that he might be unable to win in Salt Spring.

Sources say Anglin is to be replaced by Dr Lennox Reid of Montego Bay.

And Leroy Williams, the acting principal of the St James High School, is tipped to replace Councillor Ottey in the Spring Gardens Division.