SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) says it hopes to find replacements for the three defectors from within the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation before the party’s annual conference planned for the third weekend of September.

Councillors Garfield James, Ian Myles, and Lawton McKenzie — who respectively represented the Sheffield, Little London and Grange Hill divisions — all resigned from the PNP on July 10.

PNP region six chairman Colin Hitchman told the Jamaica Observer that while chairmen have been selected for the three council seats, this does not mean they will automatically be selected as candidates. Whoever the PNP decides on, they are expected to face off against the JLP’s Altrecia Maitland (Sheffield Division), Karlus Cook (Little London Division) and Basil Thompson (Grange Hill Division). The JLP’s Owen James will do battle with the PNP’s Arthel Colley for the Negril Division. The retired superintendent of police has been tipped to replace Bertel Moore, who is now the sitting mayor but has indicated that he will not be seeking re-election.

According to Hitchman, the PNP is not rattled by the thought of losing control of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation. Their focus is on taking the helm of the local authority in the next local government election.

“It would be a very short-term gain if the JLP gained control of the council. So, it’s not significant enough for us to fight over,” stated the region chairman.

“We’re preparing for the [local government] election. So, even if the power is shifted, it really doesn’t change much because we are concentrating on ensuring that the People’s National Party is returned to the seat after whichever election is called,” added Hitchman.

Equally confident is the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) deputy leader in charge of region six JC Hutchinson who is predicting that Labourites will take at least eight of the 14 seats in the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation.

But Hitchman does not think the three defectors, who are now independents, have enough sway to weaken the PNP.

“Going forward, the councillors who have shifted, we don’t expect them to influence the current delegates in such a number as to make it significant movement away from the People’s National Party which is leading quite handsomely in that constituency,” he told the Observer.

JLP general secretary Dr Horace Chang, who said none of the three councillors have formally applied to the JLP for membership, gave the Jamaica Observer some insight into what is happening on the inside.

“Right now, the focus is just working with the independent councillors to settle the parish council leadership. At this point in time, they are supporting the labour party [but they] themselves are independent at this time,” he said.

Meanwhile the JLP has its own issues to deal with, at the constituency level, in Westmoreland Central. They are yet to name a replacement for George Wright who became an independent, after an incident of domestic violence which he has neither confirmed nor denied. When asked on Wednesday whether he will run as an independent candidate, Wright said he had no comment. Meanwhile the PNP have indicated that their candidate is Dwayne Vaz.

Speaking on Nationwide News Network on Monday, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia “Babsy” Grange said, “George Wright will not be on a JLP ticket in the future.”

It was a position reiterated on Wednesday by both Dr Chang and Hutchinson.