McKenzie rebukes Opposition over response to dismissal of no-confidence motion against St Thomas mayor
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, has rebuked the People’s National Party (PNP) over its criticism of yesterday’s dismissal of a no-confidence motion against former Mayor Lenworth Rawle and then Deputy Mayor Michael Hue in the St Thomas Municipal Corporation.
According to McKenzie, Minority Leader Hubert Williams described the Chairman’s ruling as “criminal” and “autocratic” following the conclusion of a special meeting to discuss the motion of no confidence.
Hue automatically became Chairman of the Municipal Corporation when Rawle resigned on March 27.
“These developments were determined at yesterday’s special meeting to have made the no-confidence motion resolution invalid,” McKenzie said in a release.
He further stated that the actions of the Chairman were consistent with proper practices and the law, and warned the Opposition against doing anything to undermine the integrity of the local government system.
“The Chairman invited the Opposition Councillors to file a new motion reflecting the current circumstances, if they so wish. No one will be allowed to ride roughshod over the processes of the local government system, because of a desperate desire to overturn the leadership of the municipal corporation.
“One wonders how they hope to achieve this, because Section 16 of the Local Governance Act makes it very clear that any resolution to remove a chairman of a local authority may only be initiated after that chairman has been in office for at least 12 months. Councillor Hue has been in the job for one week!” explained McKenzie
The local government minister also took Opposition Spokesperson on Local Government Angela Brown-Burke to task over her comment that the CEO of the Municipal Corporation, Judith Lawrence, “came in as a JLP operative…to do the JLP’s bidding…”
“This is a most disturbing outburst from the Opposition Spokesperson and it is totally uncalled for. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that the CEO acted in any way that was partisan at the special meeting, or at any time before or since,” Mckenzie said.
