SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland – Thursday’s monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation will be keenly watched to see whether the People’s National Party (PNP) can retain control of the local authority.

On Monday, with the resignation of three councillors already weakening the PNP’s hold on the local government authority, a source within the Opposition party told the Jamaica Observer that there may be more resignations at the coming council meeting.

As of Monday’s declaration from the three councillors at a news conference that they are now independents, the PNP has five seats in the municipal corporation and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has four.

There is significant interest in where Mayor Bertel Moore, who represents the Negril Division, stands. He was a no-show at Monday’s press conference. He had been expected to resign from the party along with Ian Myles, who represents the Little London Division; Lawton McKenzie, Grange Hill Division; and Garfield James, Sheffield Division.

Asked about the mayor’s absence, Myles had no explanation, but said Moore had promised to be present and to give his continued support. Contacted by phone, the mayor told the Observer he had no comment.

The resignation by the three councillors represents the fallout from the party’s decision to have Ian Hayles as the parliamentary candidate for Westmoreland Western in the next general election, which is constitutionally due by 2025. Hayles got the green light during an internal election by delegates in the constituency on June 4 after James withdrew from the selection process, alleging irregularities with the delegates’ list.

Since then, Comrades who wanted James to get the nod have consistently expressed displeasure with the PNP hierarchy, which they accuse of not listening to the will of the people at the grass roots level.

The group said they had three meetings with the hierarchy during which they all voiced their concerns, but to no avail.

“This is a situation that has reached a stage where, from where we sit and from where the People’s National Party sit, cannot be a good day in the life of politics here in Jamaica,” James said during Monday’s press conference.

PNP General Secretary Dayton Campbell was singled out as a source of discontent.

“Based on our assessment as it relates to management from the secretariat level in the People’s National Party, it is fair and easy to say that the single most destructive element in the People’s National Party today is the General Secretary Campbell,” said James as he read from a prepared text.

“So don’t blame us, blame him. But, at the end of the day we will remain councillors to serve the people who elected us in our respective divisions. We are here for you, will stand by you, and will work assiduously to do what is necessary from where we sit as councillors to ensure that you are not neglected and that what is due to you will be given to you,” he assured.

Efforts to reach Campbell for a comment were unsuccessful. However, in a news release he made it clear the resignations hold no sway for how the PNP intends to proceed.

“These three councillors were unsuccessful in their campaign for Mr Garfield James to be the candidate. The delegates of the party and the citizens of the constituency have spoken, and the party is moving forward in favour of democracy and the people’s will,” Campbell said before thanking the councillors for their service and wishing them the best in their future endeavours.

The release also said the PNP has full confidence in the strength and resilience of the Westmoreland Western constituency organisation to carry forward the people’s business.

“Already, the Little London Division has elected its new divisional chairman, and both the Sheffield and Grange Hill divisions will follow suit at their slated conferences later this month,” Campbell said.

During the press conference McKenzie had given an assurance that the resignations would not adversely affect how he and his two colleagues represent the interests of their divisions as each councillor is provided with an allocation each month. The only challenge, he said, would be if that process were to be discontinued.

Myles said they would continue to collaborate with non-government organisations in getting the work done.

McKenzie told the Observer that the caucus of councillors remains open for talks should the party’s hierarchy approach them.

“It is still open for discussion, but we are not going into any discussion that we are going to look bad. Come and give us a fair and clean paper to look at,” he said.

He also stressed that they have not been approached by the JLP and, even if they were, they have no intention of crossing the floor. He warned, though, that there could be more resignations.

In a swift reaction to the councillors’ press conference, JLP General Secretary Dr Horace Chang issued a news release supporting their decision to resign, saying he viewed the move “as indicative of the ongoing decline within the PNP under the leadership of [President Mark] Golding”.