Golding calls for dialogue to resolve impasse in Clarendon Municipal Corporation

By Halshane Burke    

 

Opposition Leader Mark Golding is calling for dialogue on the impasse between People's National Party (PNP) and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillors in the Clarendon Municipal Corporation over its leadership.

 

Following last year's by-election in the Aenon Town Division, the Jamaica Labour Party lost its one seat majority, with the municipal corporation now evenly split between the two political parties.

 

There have been differing views on the approach that should be taken as to the leadership of the corporation, with Mayor Joel Williams of the JLP maintaining that he remains chairman.

 

Speaking with Radio Jamaica News in St. Thomas on Wednesday, Mr. Golding said all stakeholders must meet and arrive at an amicable solution. 

 

"The fact of the matter is that there is an equality of councillors in the Clarendon parish council, but the PNP divisions, the total vote for the PNP exceeds that of the JLP. And so the principle enshrined in the Local Governance Act, is that when that happens the chairman comes from the side as the most votes, and that's a principle that the PNP councillors have been advocating for and the other side have been ducking it and so on and it's causing a bit of a rift. I'd love us to get beyond that by having some discussion that maybe they could agree a way forward, to cooperate and move forward," he suggested.