IN the wake of reports of a rift in the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) ranks in Clarendon Central over who should replace Mike Henry as the party’s standard-bearer in the constituency, three of four sitting councillors have indicated their support for Delroy Williams who seems set to replace the veteran politician.

The fourth councillor, Mayor of May Pen Joel Williams — who was long believed to be Henry’s heir apparent — has reportedly indicated that he will not object to the decision of the party’s secretariat to recommend the former mayor of Kingston to contest in the next general election.

On Thursday the Jamaica Observer reported that some Labourities in the constituency were livid over the decision by the JLP Secretariat to recommend Delroy Williams to replace the 89-year-old Henry who has held the seat for more than 40 years.

But in a media release the three JLP councillors — Lorraine Green Mason, Tanya-Lee Williams, and Kenneth Davis — not only indicated their support for Delroy Williams, but moved to distance themselves from a report circulating on social media that they are objecting to the secretariat’s recommendation.

“I wish to place it on record that I am unequivocally in support of Delroy to become our Member of Parliament and it is definitely my perception that it is the view of the majority of people in Central Clarendon on the voters’ list that they are in support of Delroy,” said Green Mason, who is councillor caretaker for the May Pen West Division.

“I also speak on behalf of the Jamaica Labour Party workers who are eagerly anticipating Delroy getting to work and representing this great constituency well. We expect his light to shine brightly,” added Green Mason.

In the meantime, Williams said she was shocked to see correspondence circulating which suggested that she was among people in Clarendon Central who are allegedly objecting to the recommendation by the JLP Secretariat to recommend Delroy Williams to be the party’s standard bearer in the constituency.

“I was stunned to be awakened to a letter being circulated saying I am a signatory to a letter which was allegedly dispatched objecting to Delroy Williams. I wish to categorically state that I was not a signatory to the letter and I am in fact supportive of the findings of the general secretary [Dr Horace Chang] and the decision of the party,” said Williams who represents the May Pen North Division.

In his response, councillor for the May Pen East Division Davis also distanced himself from the letter which purported to object to Delroy Williams’ candidacy.

According to Davis, he is in full support of moves by the party’s secretariat to send Delroy Williams to be its standard-bearer in Clarendon Central.

“I have no idea about the letter. I am in full support of the candidate who is to be chosen and has been recommended by the party. Whichever candidate they send here, I am in full support of. I have no objection to the decision,” said Davis.

The statement from the three councillors appears to have further paved the way for Delroy Williams to be the JLP candidate for the constituency.

In a statement last week the JLP Secretariat indicated that it has recommended to its Selection Committee and Central Executive that Delroy Williams be named its standard-bearer in Clarendon Central.

The ratification is most likely to be supported by the JLP’s Central Executive which is expected to meet soon.