'VENDETTA!'

THE POLITICAL fallout over the selection of Ian Hayles as the People’s National Party's (PNP) standard-bearer in Westmoreland Western has taken another turn as at least two former PNP, now Independent, councillors intend to join their Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) counterparts to remove Bertel Moore as mayor of Savanna-la-Mar on Thursday.

The news came yesterday, days after PNP officials at a Gleaner Editors' Forum said that there were lessons to be learnt from the handling of the Westmoreland impasse.

Former PNP councillor Garfield James (Sheffield Division) told The Gleaner that he will be supporting the motion to unseat Moore as mayor.

James did not respond whether he and others applied to the JLP for membership.

Instead, he said: “A big announcement will be coming at this week’s council meeting.”

He then gave details of what was coming.

“There is going to be some announcement that is in line with what you are saying (joining the JLP) on Thursday and Friday. Thursday of this week is general council, so there will be another story shortly,” he told The Gleaner.

James said all three councillors, himself, Ian Myles (Little London) and Layton McKenzie (Grange Hill Division), will be part of the "announcement".

“You know that there was a no-confidence motion that removed the deputy mayor. Well, Thursday coming, there will be another no-confidence motion to remove the mayor, Bertel Moore. But, about joining the JLP, that is something I can’t give any information about right now,” said James on Monday evening.

McKenzie, a few months ago, said the removal of the deputy mayor was as far as he would go, telling The Gleaner that Moore was his friend for years.

James said: “Based on rumblings, McKenzie will not be moving with us, but the door is not closed on that.”

James agreed that the JLP wanted to remove Moore for a long time, but was unsuccessful as they did not support the removal of one of their “team members”.

However, they removed the deputy mayor in their second act one, scene two of their revenge. Scenes three and four will play out this week, with the removal of Moore and their plans to become members of the JLP.

At the heart of the political gall fight is the decision by the party to hold a selection contest to choose a candidate for the constituency.

James was interested in being the candidate but was miffed that a run-off was to be held.

With support from Myles and McKenzie, the three severed ties with the PNP. Now, they have opted to twist Shylock’s knife into the back of the body they served for years.

Moore is now the target of their venom and the removal of the PNP’s influence in the Westmoreland Municipal Council.

James said they had problems with Moore for years, but did not publicise them, and they opted to work with team members rather than throw them under the bus.

Contacted yesterday, Moore said he has heard of the planned action.

“Yes, I know about it, but it’s their business, not mine. I know about it. I have been a councillor for 25 years and mayor for 16 years. It’s all a part of the vendetta, but I am prepared to walk away,” he told The Gleaner.

“Absolutely not. I am not afraid to walk away if the motion carries. I don’t know if it will fail or if it will carry. Whichever way it goes, I go,” said Moore.

Further, he said he did not know if the motion will originate among the Independents or if they will support a JLP caucus motion.

At the press conference to announce their resignation from the PNP, Myles and McKenzie said that they would not support Hayles as the candidate.

Two former PNP stalwarts, Desmond Leaky and Dr Karl Blythe, offered to be intermediaries, but those efforts yielded no result.

Neither Myles nor McKenzie could be reached for comment last evening.

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com