OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Four years after being forced to resign from the office, Councillor Michael Belnavis (Jamaica Labour Party, Ocho Rios Division) was on Thursday once again sworn in as mayor of St Ann’s Bay.

He was stripped of the title after coming under public pressure for installing a charging port for his electric vehicle at the St Ann Municipal Corporation’s office in St Ann’s Bay for his use and without authorisation. He was later cleared.

On Thursday, green-clad JLP supporters turned out in numbers to show their support for Belnavis.

“Belnavis back in council, we marching to council,” they chanted.

Belnavis was at pains not to appear too cocky.

“It’s not time for us to gloat in any form or glory; it’s time for us to get things going. I just want to focus on what I started doing that was derailed, I get the chance to finish up,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Belnavis was elected by former mayor of St Ann’s Bay Sydney Stewart and was supported by councillor of the Gibraltar Division and now deputy mayor of St Ann’s Bay, Cardell Wickham.

“I’ve always said that I didn’t do anything wrong and for the mere fact that the people supported me and bring me back in with a comfortable margin in Ocho Rios [it says something]. My colleagues also recognise that I didn’t necessarily do anything wrong,” said Belnavis.

The focus, he said, is to now enable growth and job creation for residents in St Ann.

“The parish is going through a growing phase, with major investments coming in. We want prosperity for all and to ensure that we do the work necessary so that the people get the employment that they need. We have to deal with the infrastructure issues, water, road and a lot of other issues out there,” Belnavis asserted.

Members of Parliament from across St Ann as well as other councillors heaped praised on him as they offered congratulatory messages on his re-election.

Along with Belnavis, 15 other councillors were sworn in by Lymanom Wishart, principal returning officer for the Electoral Office of Jamaica.