GENERAL Secretary of the ruling People’s National Party (PNP), Paul Burke, has declined to comment on reports that former Lucea Mayor Shernette Haughton has been suspended from the party.

The Jamaica Observer was told that a decision was made to revoke Haughton’s membership, following a scathing report by the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) on its investigation(s) into activities at the Hanover Parish Council, which raised allegations of unethical conduct and nepotism regarding the awarding of contracts while Haughton was mayor.

When contacted yesterday, Burke neither denied nor confirmed reports.

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

In March, the party’s executive said it considered the OCG report at its regular meeting of the Executive Committee, and “accept that there are moral principles and issues of ethical conduct which are central to the findings”.

Since the allegations, the embattled councillor has issued a warning that, if she is forced to resign, she would not go down 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.

CAPTION:

HAUGHTON… if I am to resign as the councillor of the Green Island Division, the entire council will have to resign