WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – After resigning from the People’s National Party (PNP) and becoming an independent two months ago, councillor for the Grange Hill Division Lawton McKenzie has returned to the PNP.

McKenzie made the announcement Friday afternoon at a press conference held at the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation.

“I am making it quite clear and declaring myself that I have come home to the party that I have served for my entire adult life, the People’s National Party,” McKenzie said cheerfully.This news comes less than 24 hours after councillors Ian Myles of the Little London Division and Garfield James of the Sheffield Division, who also went independent with McKenzie in July, crossed the floor to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) at the parish council meeting, increasing the seats held by the JLP to six, to the PNP’s five.

Myles and James, along with their colleague McKenzie, who were all PNP representatives, broke ranks with the party to become independent councillors after a fallout from the decision to allow the party’s vice president Ian Hayles to offer himself as a constituency caretaker aspirant despite opposition.

However, this move by McKenzie has now evenly split the number of seats – six to the JLP and six to the PNP – held by the two major political parties.

In reacting to the news of McKenzie’s return, Mayor Bertel Moore says he is proud.

“Well let me say as a comrade I am very very proud, to see my comrade brother decide to return to the Peoples National Party. He and I have been coming a long way,” Moore said.

– Kimberley Peddie