SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine – Former mayor of Spanish Town, Dr Raymoth Notice, has denied claims that his recent criticisms of the management of the St Catherine Parish Council (SCPC) is a prelude to crossing the floor of the chamber to join the ruling People’s National Party (PNP).

In fact, Dr Notice, who serves as councillor for the Bog Walk division, has assured his colleagues that his objectives are primarily to uphold the democratic process of governance.

“If they call me comrade because I am seen to be transparent or because I am seen to be very friendly with my PNP colleagues, let them do so. [But] I have no intention of crossing any fence,” Notice said, adding that PNP councillors at the SCPC have approached him on many occasions to sever ties with his party and join them “because they like my style of politics”.

“At times I am in the company of senior PNP people. We socialise, but when it comes to party principle I will be standing by the JLP for as long as I am in politics,” the councillor declared.

At present, the political balance of power in the SCPC is in favour of the JLP with 21 seats to the PNP’s 17.

Last week in his latest round of criticisms, Dr Notice charged that the affairs of the council were in shambles, citing that poor management has opened the way for corruption, unauthorised activities, as well as a lack of transparency in the supervision of the council’s operations.

He made the comments during a heated debate at the administration’s monthly general meeting. He also called for the council to be shut down and for government to send forensic auditors to “clean up the mess at the council”.

But Dr Notice’s remarks angered his JLP colleagues, who questioned his motives and suggested that his comments were intended to find favour with the PNP so that he could be accepted as a party member.

Notice had told a previous meeting that a councillor, whom he still refuses to identify, had illegally used money earmarked for road repairs to purchase land for a community-based project.

Up to that point, the former mayor had won the support of his colleagues from both sides of the council. However, at last week’s meeting he seemed to have lost much of the approval he had gained, when combative PNP councillor Ralston Wilson of the Old Harbour Bay division advised the meeting that he had withdrawn his support for the former mayor.

Political observers in St Catherine see Notice as a dynamic local government politician who is most comfortable while wielding power.

But several JLP councillors insist that he is preparing to join the ranks of the PNP claiming the former mayor, who resigned as chairman of the SCPC in 2005 because of a court case in which he was charged for beating his wife, had given every indication of being deeply disenchanted with the governance process.

Meanwhile, Notice, who contested the 2002 general elections in the St Catherine East Central constituency and lost to sitting member of parliament K D Knight, ferociously continues to resist claims by his colleagues that he is power hungry and disruptive.

“All I am seeking is to instill democratic principles, transparency and good governance in the St Catherine Parish Council,” he insisted.