SAVANNA-LA- MAR, Westmoreland — Luther Buchanan, the opposition People’s National Party (PNP’s) Member of Parliament for Eastern Westmoreland has agreed to apologise publicly to the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) caretaker Don Foote for tearing his shirt in a fracas during the 2007 election campaign.

The agreement which was arrived at between Foote, who is an attorney and the MP during a mediation session at the Savanna-lar Police Station Mediation Centre on March 22, will also see Foote getting an equal say in how Buchanan’s Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is utilised.

Additionally, a joint public meeting –to be attended by Foote and Buchanan– is to be held in the the constituency’s Gordon community, where the apology will again be offered.

The date for the meeting is to be agreed on by the executive of both parties.

According to the March 22 agreement:

“The allocation of the next Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for Eastern Hanover will be directed jointly by the Member of Parliament Luther Buchanan and the Don Foote, the JLP caretaker for that constituency in equal share, half and half.”

Reports are than on August 29, 2007 Foote along with supporters of the JLP where campaigning in Gordon when they were allegedly confronted by PNP supporters.

A fracas ensued and Buchanan, who was reportedly among the group of PNP supporters, allegedly held on to Foote’s shirt and tore it.

According to Foote the matter was reported to the Whitehouse Police Station and after weeks of investigation, Buchanan was slapped with a charge of malicious destruction of property.

After several hearings in the Savanna-la-Mar Resident Magistrate’s Court, the matter was referred to the Dispute Resolution Foundation for mediation.

When contacted on Tuesday Buchanan who defeated Foote by more that 3,000 votes in the 2007 general election declined to comment on the matter.

” I have no comment on the issue,” he told the Observer West.

For his part, Foote who has failed in his bid to represent the constituency in three successive parliamentary elections said he was satisfied with the outcome of the matter.

He said the agreement signed by himself and MP Buchananan, should prove to be beneficial to the constituency, as well as to improve the relationship between party supporters on both sides of the political divide.

” There should be not place in the constituency where the JLP should not campaign and there should be no place where the PNP ought to be prevented, likewise. Both parties should be free to campaign peacefully in the constituency and the leadership should set the example… so I am really satisfied by that,” said Foote, who is also a lawyer.

Foote is also pleased that he will now have an equal say in how Buchanan’s CDF is utilised.

The constituency of Eastern Westmoreland is said to be a safe PNP seat. It was represented by former prime minister PJ Patterson between 1997 and 2006.

Buchanan who is also a PNP deputy general secretary in charge of field operations, has been the elected representative since Patterson’s resignation from politics in 2006.