SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland— Mayor of Savanna-la-Mar Bertel Moore has reprimanded Deputy Mayor Ian Myles for his failure to include him in planning last month’s ceremony in which the key to the town was handed over to 400m World Champion Antonio Watson.

“Councillor Myles, I must say that I am very disappointed, in a sense. Not that it wasn’t a good gesture to give the key to Antonio Watson. But the way it was handled, I am not happy about it,” the mayor chided during Thursday’s monthly meeting of the corporation.

Myles is a former member of the People’s National Party (PNP) who crossed the floor to join the ruling Jamaica Labour Party after a brief stint as an Independent. He was voted in as deputy mayor in July after councillor for the Bethel Town Division, Danree Delancy (PNP) was booted in a no-confidence vote. Moore was elected on a PNP ticket and has so far survived efforts to unseat him from his position as mayor.

On Thursday, Moore also pointed out that he is yet to get an estimate of the cost of the function and he was unaware that it was being held. The last discussion he had with Myles, he said, involved instructions to his former Comrade to get an estimate from the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission.

“You said to me they couldn’t come until the 15th of the month. But ever since I haven’t heard back anything concerning what it would cost, nothing whatsoever. I know you told me it was on the 15th, I don’t know what time, nothing,” Moore explained.

The mayor stressed that going forward there must be some form of collaboration.

“We must work together as a team when we are doing things… So next time something like this, I do hope we go the right way and we all will sit down, work together as a team, and put it on,” he urged.

Weighing in on the issue, Councillor Devon Thomas (PNP, Savanna-la-Mar Northern Division) said there should be a do-over.

“You are the mayor of Savanna-la-Mar; you are the one who is supposed to give the key to the town of Savanna-la-Mar, not a councillor. I think it should be done again the right way; it was a bad example,” he argued.

Thomas theorised that Myles thought he would have ousted the sitting mayor and take the position by the time the ceremony for Watson was held. Myles’ staging of the ceremony was disrespectful to the sitting mayor, he argued.

“Councillor is moving too fast. Councillor Myles thought he would be the mayor by Thursday evening to operate Friday, but McKenzie shift the ball,” Thomas laughed.

He was referencing Councillor Lawton McKenzie (PNP, Grange Hill Division) who announced he had resigned from the party alongside Myles and Garfield James (Sheffield Division), but later returned to the fold.

“That’s what happen; McKenzie moved the goal post from under them feet and say, ‘Six and six is what? Twelve. I close my argument,’ ” Thomas chuckled.

The PNP and JLP now both have six seats in the municipal corporation.

On September 16, Myles handed Watson, the World Athletics Championships gold medallist, the keys to Savanna-la-Mar in recognition of his stellar performance in Budapest, Hungary. A float parade, which started at Watson’s alma mater, Petersfield High School, saw students and past teachers celebrating the 21-year-old. His coach, Machel Woolery, was presented with a plaque for his service.