Cops say former PNP councillor shot dead for firearm
MAY PEN, Clarendon – The police believe former People’s National Party (PNP) councillor for May Pen East in Clarendon, Everton ‘Moxton’ Thomas was slain Wednesday
night by men who wanted his licensed firearm.
Thomas, 51, a contractor, who resided at Mandeville in Manchester, and businesswoman Carla May, of Sandy Bay, Clarendon, were killed Wednesday night by gunmen at a bar in Sandy Bay.
According to the police, at about 8:30 pm Thomas and May were sitting at the front of the bar when two men walked past them and went inside.
One of the men, cops said, bought a phone card and on their way out shot Thomas and May. Thomas died on the spot while May died at hospital.
The police said nothing was robbed from the bar, but that Thomas’ licensed firearm was stolen by his attackers.
PNP chairman Robert Pickersgill, in condemning the murder of his comrade, said he would be missed by the party. The party, he said, extended its condolences to the families of both deceased.
Pickersgill, in the meantime, called on law-abiding citizens to play their part in helping the security forces to get the guns and the small band of criminals who want to drive fear
in others.
Yesterday, PNP caretaker for South East Clarendon, Councillor Sean Barnswell, said Thomas was his close friend and that they had a meeting planned for Monday at the same place where he was killed. That meeting, he said, fell
through because Monday was a public holiday.
“He was an ardent party worker who was well known and well loved in the area, and (he) was a no nonsense comrade who would tell you like it is. His contribution to the party was immeasurable and we will sadly miss him,” Barnswell said.
Thomas represented the PNP as a parish councillor for the May Pen East Division between 1990 and 1998. He lost the seat in the 1998 election to the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Ainsley Blake.
Thomas shifted division in 2003 and contested the Mineral Heights Division, but lost to the sitting mayor of May Pen Milton Brown.
At the time of his death he was councillor/caretaker for the Mineral Heights division.
This is the second time within a month that a former political representative has been killed in Clarendon.
On September 22, former JLP councillor/caretaker Dennis Wright was shot dead by two gunmen along Sewell Crescent in May Pen, while he was on his way to work.