Having left the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) following a fallout with Member of Parliament (MP) Robert Morgan, People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for the Mocho Division in Clarendon North Central Romaine Morris on Thursday described the MP as a “stumbling block” in the development of the constituency.

His comments were made outside the Chapelton Family Court in the parish before he was nominated to contest the Mocho Division in the February 26 local government election.

Stating that he is standing up for the people, Morris told reporters that his next move is to remove Morgan.

“People did make a mistake in terms of the current Member of Parliament because he is a stumbling block in the development and the progress of the people and time come to remove that stumbling block,” he declared.

He added that “time come” for the Government to pass legislation that would see MPs removed from their positions if they misbehave or perform their duties to the people inadequately.

Morris had won the division on a JLP ticket in 2016 by almost 400 votes. If Morris emerges as the victor on February 26, he would be the first councillor on a PNP ticket in decades to win the division.

However, responding to Morris’s new allegiance, Morgan, while making reference to candidate Clement “John” Alves for the Mocho Division, told reporters that, “We finally have the opportunity to get a councillor who the people can work with and collaborate with, because there is a lot of work that needs to be done.”

Despite the usual tension between the two parties, nomination day for divisions in Clarendon North Central was smooth. With the excitement in the air palpable, supporters clad in party colours, green for the JLP and orange for the PNP, cheering vigorously for their preferred candidate.

Comrades chanted the party’s slogan “Time come”, while the Labourites, with green flags waving high, shouted “Vote for Labour!”

With nominations for the local government election officially closed at 2:00 pm on Thursday, the two political parties nominated six candidates in total for the constituency.

In addition to Morris and Alves, the other candidates are JLP incumbent Hershell Brown for the Chapelton Division, who will go up against the PNP’s France Douglas.

According to Douglas, in addition to the water issues facing Chapelton there is a lot of work that needs to be done in the division.

For the Rock River Division, the PNP’s Nadine Bonner-Williams will face JLP incumbent Uriah Mitchell, who is looking to serve his fifth term as councillor.