ALBERT TOWN, Trelawny – There were mixed reactions Thursday to Marisa Dalrymple-Philbert’s resignation as Member of Parliament of Trelawny Southern constituency and as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Former independent councillor for the Lorrimers Division Paul Patmore said the resignation from both posts was the correct thing for Dalrymple-Philbert to do.

“The most I can say is it was the honourable thing for her to do. We congratulate her for doing that and we thank her for her years of service, 20 years of service, to south Trelawny,” Patmore told the Jamaica Observer late Thursday afternoon.

“It was hard but I wish her the best as she moves on. I thank her for her years of service on behalf of the Trelawny people,” he said.

Councillor Winston Smith (Lorrimers Division, Jamaica Labour Party) said news of her resignation was a hard pill to swallow as Dalrympe-Philbert was a hard-working MP.

“For the sterling and good representation that she has given in South Trelawny it is really a sad day to know that her representation has ended in this form. I was hoping that even if she had pulled away as speaker of the House she would continue to represent her constituency that she has done so much for and still have the potential to do so much more,” Smith said.

“But at the end of the day I think she is the one who is feeling the whole weight of this particular incident. I asked her to stay and to fight it out but I guess she has figured that she has had enough. The way she is being treated after working so hard for the people of this constituency, and for Jamaica on a whole, and to be treated like this is really a hard pill to swallow,” he added.

“I am just hoping that she will think over this thing and I mean [withdrawing resignation] as parliamentary representative and return to continue serving the people of this lovely constituency that she has served so well over the years,” Smith continued.

Lloyd Gillings, former PNP councillor for the Albert Town Division, expressed disappointment over the incident.

“I believe that stepping down [as MP] is very sad because I know the people elected her, but then to have people like those in such a sensitive area it is not good enough for the country and not enough for the constituency,” said Gillings, a former JLP councillor for the Albert Town Division who had crossed the floor to join the People’s National Party.

South Trelawny businessman Kenneth Grant, who said his relationship with the former MP began from before she entered representational politics, also expressed sadness at her resignation as parliamantary representative.

“It is a sad occasion for me. She has been a hard working Member of Parliament, and she has been my lawyer. She has been my friend even before she came into politics, so it is sad. It is really sad,” Grant said.

Dalrymple-Philbert has been Member of Parliament for Trelawny Southern since 2007.