LUCEA, Hanover — Chairman of the Hanover Municipal Corporation Sheridan Samuels is threatening legal action against the person responsible for a message being circulated, which alleges that funds were stolen from the corporation and used to sabotage the People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for Hanover Western in last Thursday’s general election.

In a message being circulated within the PNP camp and which was brought to the attention of the Jamaica Observer earlier this week, the author alleged that the mayor had taken $5 million from the coffers of the corporation and the funds “shared up to fight” the outgoing Member of Parliament (MP) Ian Hayles, and the PNP.

But, speaking at the regular monthly meeting of the Hanover Municipal Corporation yesterday, Samuels, who is also the PNP councillor for the Cauldwell Division, denied the allegation.

“No money was taken from the Hanover Municipal Corporation. The author of that text took the plane to the United States [of America] and we are going to find him, because you cannot go around and defaming people and think you will get away from it. We have the screenshot for it and we are going to sue. Lawsuit coming up,” Mayor Samuels declared.

It is no secret that the mayor and Hayles have had their differences over issues concerning the stewardship of their respective offices.

Yesterday, the mayor, who did not mention the author of the message by name, said the person is well known in sections of Hanover.

He argued that while several bigwigs in the party had lost their seats, he has not heard of any rumours about them.

“I have seen some stalwarts in the People’s National Party who have lost. [Dr] Wykeham McNeill in Westmoreland, [Dwayne] Vaz [in Westmoreland], and a whole lot of persons — Fenton Ferguson [in St Thomas], and you don’t hear anything going around that persons cause them to lose. If you are not organised properly, you must know that you are going to lose elections, and this is what happened. Don’t blame me when you lose. Blame yourself,” stated Mayor Samuels.

When contacted by the Observer following the meeting, the mayor declined to elaborate on the matter.

Hayles, a three-term MP, was defeated by attorney Tamika Davis of the Jamaica Labour Party by over 1,000 votes.