WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — Unimpressed with George Wright’s hours-old resignation from the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), some residents have repeated calls for him to also step down as Member of Parliament for Central Westmoreland.

A quick check with residents on the streets of Savanna-la-Mar shortly after news broke saw some respondents saying he should go. Others supported him, saying he should not step aside. Most people opted not to be identified by name.

“Mr George Wright resigning from the JLP is a façade. That doesn’t really go [far enough] to the extent which the people are seeking,” argued Wolde Kristos, businessman and community developer in the parish.

Another Savanna-la-Mar resident, who opted not to be identified by name but said he is an avid JLP supporter, agreed with Kristos, while one woman — who also identified herself as a JLP supporter and also opted not to be named — became excited at the news.

“Him lucky, long time him fi step down,” she quipped.

There were some dissenting views however.

Collin ‘Old Police’ Allen made it clear he will not support the JLP without his MP as a member.  “No Wright, no labourite,” he vowed.

“George Wright is a good man, a whole heap a good him duh for me. A mi fren,” shared another self-proclaimed JLP supporter who yet again opted not to be identified by name.

Meanwhile, a popular juice man from Savanna-la-Mar, who goes by the name “Julu”, told OBSERVER ONLINE, that he’s a die-hard labourite and he does not support the MP’s decision to resign.

“From mi born, mi a JLP and him nuffi resign. Dem pressure di man fi resign,” he shouted.

According to a statement from the JLP on Friday, Wright submitted his letter of resignation to General Secretary Dr Horace Chang, terminating his membership in the party.

The party said his resignation was accepted, noting his stated intention to address matters in the public domain, and his continued belief in the policies and programmes of the government and party.

Wright came under public pressure to resign after a video showing a man beating a woman with his hands and a stool went viral in April.

The police later said they ended their investigation due to lack of cooperation from both parties – who had made separate reports of a physical altercation to the police – as well as from potential witnesses in the area where the incident allegedly occurred.

The police also said the quality of video was too low to be of much help to an investigation.

The matter was reported to the police, however, the case was soon dropped after both Wright and the woman in the video refused to cooperate with the investigators.