PETERSFIELD, Westmoreland — People’s National Party President Mark Golding has said that the doors of communication are still open to the three councillors who resigned from the party last Monday.

However, despite the extended olive branch, the party president has made it clear that the PNP will be moving ahead without the three.

Golding said he has given former Government minister and Westmoreland Central Member of Parliament Dr Karl Blythe his blessing to have dialogue with the three men.

“You can talk to them and let them know,” Golding said. “If they want to talk, we are open to talking, because we never close the door on anybody. It is not so we move.

“Whatever happens with them, we are moving forward because we intend to take all three seats in Westmoreland. We also intend to take back the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation as well, when the time comes,” stated Golding.

The party president, who was addressing a Petersfield divisional conference at Petersfield High School on Friday, was referring to last Thursday’s incident in which the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP’s) Rudolph Uter (Frome Division) moved a motion to have the PNP’s deputy mayor of Savanna-la-Mar Danree Delancy unseated, claiming non-performance.

Three councillors — Ian Myles (Little London Division), Garfield James (Sheffield Division), and Lawton McKenzie (Grange Hill Division) — all from the Westmoreland Western constituency and who resigned from the party last Monday, joined four JLP counterparts in removing Councillor Delancy of the Bethel Town Division as deputy mayor. He was replaced by Myles.

Golding said what took place was uncalled for.

“What happened yesterday in the council was very disappointing to me but they can’t stop us, you know man,” said Golding. He added, “I know that they will regret the decisions that they have made because it was never called for and it was not necessary at all.”

Following the conference the Jamaica Observer tried to get some lingering questions answered. However, Golding who was whisked away to his vehicle, said he was unable to speak as he was tired. He had toured Hanover Eastern on Thursday and Westmoreland Central on Friday.

However, the man with whom the three councillors said they had an issue, which propelled their resignation, spoke about what took place.

Myles and McKenzie had backed James in his aspirations to be the Westmoreland Western caretaker. However, all three said Ian Hayles, the man selected, was unfit to run and their cries to the party fell on deaf ears. James later withdrew from an internal selection process in which Hayles was selected.

Hayles, in response at the meeting in Petersfield, said he will not say the men had sound judgement.

“The last couple of months have been difficult for the party because I went into a selection [process] for the constituency of Western Westmoreland. I did not come here to beat PNP. I went in there with preparation to be the next caretaker and the next Member of Parliament for Western Westmoreland,” stated Hayles.

The party’s vice-president, who called for unity, said he will be working to make history of the men.

“For all the three that have gone — and I would not call them the wise men because the last time I checked, they were wandering. But, you know why I want to put them in the Guinness Book of World Records? Labourite is turning PNP day by day and you have PNP turning Labour,” argued Hayles who was once a member of the JLP.

The PNP councillor caretaker for the Petersfield Division is Patrick Forrester. The division is currently without a councillor, following the elevation of George Wright from councillor to MP in the 2020 General Election. Wright, who is now an independent MP, had won the Westmoreland Western seat on a JLP ticket.