LUCEA, Hanover — Lloyd Hill was yesterday ousted as mayor of this small seaside town and his deputy, Fredecious Miller (PNP), installed in that post, after four councillors supported a no-confidence motion brought against his stewardship of the Hanover Parish Council.

The no-confidence motion, moved by councillor for the Caudwell Division Calvin Allen (PNP), was supported by Miller and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillors Easton Edwards (Lucea Division) and Albert Lee (Riverside Division), while Hill — PNP councillor for the Sandy Bay Division — and PNP councillors Derrick Foster and Wynter McIntosh voted against.

There are seven parish council divisions in Hanover.

Following the vote, Miller, councillor for the Green Island Division, who is serving his fifth term as a parish councillor, said he was elated to be given the opportunity to serve at the level of chairman of the local authority and as mayor.

He promised to work closely with his JLP colleagues for the betterment of Hanover.

The new mayor later told the Observer that his colleagues were convinced that Hill was not serving the best interest of the parish.

The newly installed mayor, however, declined to give details. “I intend to call a press conference very soon so at that time I will give details about his leadership,” he said.

Miller, meanwhile, promised that a new deputy mayor would be announced and installed within another four weeks.

Yesterday, a dejected Hill described the councillors’ action a “sad day” in the history of local government.

“It is really unfortunate. When you look at the local government reform process, for example, I am the one that is almost single-handedly carrying it forward,” Hill said, in defending his stewardship of the Hanover Parish Council.

He pledged to continue working on behalf of his constituents.

“I have a commitment to the people who have elected me so I will continue to serve them. I wasn’t elected by the people to serve as mayor; I was elected as their councillor so I will serve as long as they want me to,” he said.

Hill, who has been representing the Sandy Bay Division for almost 12 years, had previously served as mayor of Lucea from 1998 to 2003.