KINGSTON, Jamaica — The fallout from the recent presidential race in the People’s National Party (PNP) is continuing.

In the latest development councillor Kari Douglas, an outspoken supporter of Peter Bunting who failed in his bid to oust Dr Peter Phillips, resigned as the leader of the PNP team on the Building and Town Planning Committee of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC).

In a letter to Andrew Swaby, the leader of the PNP’s team in the KSAMC, Douglas, the councillor for the Trafalgar Division in St Andrew South East, charged that she was forced to resign based on resistance from Phillips supporters who are adamant that she should not remain in the post.

According to Douglas, the day after Bunting’s defeat she had offered her resignation based on reports that some PNP councillors, who backed Phillips, had indicated that they would not sit on the Building and Town Planning Committee if she continued to lead it.

“You may also recall not accepting my resignation offer while indicating that Dr Phillips had called publicly for the party to now unite and hence you did not expect that type of victimisation or puerile resistance to my continuing to contribute in a space in which I am highly qualified to so do,” said Douglas.

“It is regrettable that two weeks later OnePNP Supporters (names withheld), reportedly wrote you offering their resignation in protest at my continuation as the spokesperson of that committee. I gather this is the move which led you to conclude, in your recent letter to me, that it’d be in the interest of unity that I resign as leader of the referenced committee,” added Douglas.

She charged that in light of the vindictive push to have her removed as leader of the committee she had no option but to resign with immediate effect.

“Minority Leader, it remains my view that the various leadership structures of our beloved party, of which you are a part, will not too long from now rue its approach subsequent to the leadership race which has seen talented comrades sidelined because they dared to take a position towards improving the viability of our party and its chances of success at the next general election,” warned Douglas.

Arthur Hall