McNeill officially the PNP’s man in Trelawny North
Published:Tuesday | July 30, 2024 | 12:10 AMLeon Jackson/Gleaner Writer
Western Bureau:
The opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has settled it candidate selection in Trelawny North with Dr Wykeham McNeill being installed as the party’s caretaker during a constituency meeting on Sunday.
Businessman Dennis Meadows was originally selected to serve as the PNP’s candidate but fell out of grace with the party’s leadership and was removed when he made statements seemingly in support of lottery scamming during a campaign meeting.
McNeill previously served six consecutive terms as the member of parliament (MP) for Westmoreland Western but was ousted in the 2020 general election when he lost his seat to political newcomer, the Jamaica Labour Party’s Moreland Wilson.
In the meantime, some PNP supporters are seemingly wary of throwing their support behind McNeill and have indicated they were hopeful the party’s leadership would have reinstated Meadows. However, Meadows, who remains the PNP’s constituency chairman for Trelawny North, is supporting McNeill and introduced him at the conference.
In introducing McNeill, Meadows used the opportunity to call for the Government to name the parliamentarians who are being investigated for illicit enrichment by the Integrity Commission.
“Last year I called for the prime minister to name them (the Illicit Six). That number is now up to eight. Mr Prime Minister, I am calling on you to have those members of your party so investigated to recuse themselves in the interest of transparency,” said Meadows.
In accepting the party’s endorsement, McNeill thanked Meadows for his support, and said he also got an important endorsement from a former long-serving MP.
“I have met with PNP stalwart Desmond Leaky and he has decided to be part of my team going forward,” said McNeill.
McNeill said when the PNP returns to power, Meadows will have a place in the next administration.
“I promised him that when we become the next government, there will be space for him to serve,” he said.
McNeill, who served as minister of tourism in a previous PNP administration, said his vision for Trelawny predates his current bid to become MP.
“When I was minister of tourism, I identified $1 billion for tourism development in Trelawny. That work is not completed and when I become your member of parliament and minister of tourism, I will pick up from where I left off,” promised McNeill.