PNP, JLP boot 11 nominated to challenge party picks

By: Admin

Image caption: Lawton McKenzie

The People’s National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) have expelled a total of 11 members after they were nominated on Thursday to run against official candidates put forward by the parties in the upcoming local government elections.

Among the four booted by the PNP is Uphel Purcell, who was nominated in the York Town division in Clarendon and had been notified about the termination of his membership on Thursday.

Speaking with The Gleaner after his nomination, Purcell said: “I will always be PNP!”

Despite being replaced by the PNP in the division, the five-term councillor said that he still supports the party although he believes he was wronged.

“I am running as an independent but still a strong supporter of the People’s National Party. I am a PNP and will continue being a PNP. That is the reason I have not gone to the other party, but what happened to me was not fair, [or] honest, and the member of parliament, Mr Lothan Cousins, and others who stood up against me, should not have done that because I have done nothing wrong,” said Purcell.

He declined to expound on the alleged unjust and unfair incidents.

Cousins also declined to comment.

On Friday, the PNP announced that Lydia Richards of the Bensonton division in St Ann, Lawton McKenzie of the Grange Hill division in Westmoreland, and Beverley Swaby of the Porus division in Manchester were also expelled.

“This decision aligns with Rule 263 of the party’s constitution, which explicitly states, ‘No person who has contested a seat in the House of Representatives or for any municipality, or as a candidate in opposition to the People’s National Party, may continue as a member of the party’,” the PNP stated in a press release.

The JLP has expelled seven members who have been nominated as independent candidates or have opted to run on a PNP ticket in the local government elections.

Among the seven are Nerpatrick Smith from the Palmers Cross division, Omar White from the Ritches division, and Keith McCook of the Red Hills division, all in Clarendon.

The party also named Romaine Morris of the Mocho division, who crossed the floor in the Clarendon Municipal Corporation last month.

Also out of the JLP are Leroy Dunn from the Guys Hill division in St Catherine, Eric Wint of the Martha Brae division in Trelawny, and George Planto of the Papine division in St Andrew.

The JLP says the move is in keeping with party rules which prohibit members from running against an approved candidate of the party.