Third video surfaces as HMC’s saga deepens

Western Bureau:

Hours after Sheridan Samuels, the mayor of Lucea and chairman of the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC), held a press conference to address two videos circulating on social media accusing him of nepotism and corruption, a third video has surfaced.

The third video, in which the narrator claims to be an employee of the HMC who is fed up with the level of corruption taking place at the corporation, highlights what he described as a tangled web of additional acts of corruption. It claimed that persons permanently employed to the HMC and some of their close relatives were getting lucrative contracts from the corporation in contravention of government policies.

Samuels held a press conference on Monday, during which he addressed the allegations in the first two videos, which accused him of nepotism and corruption.

During the press conference, Samuels pointed to what he termed as incorrect information in the two videos. He added that he was hurt by the social-media postings, which he said were impacting his family life, and hinted that he would seek legal redress.

Samuels also called for a full investigation into the matter, claiming that he has done nothing wrong or unusual, as he was operating in much the same manner as other councillors, who he said were all following the correct procedures, processes and procurement guidelines as per the Government’s regulations.

“I will call for the ministry to come and do some investigations down here, to clear the air of what is out there,” Samuels stated during the press conference, adding that the matter is in the hands of his lawyers, whom he has instructed to pursue the matter through the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s cyber unit.

SMEAR CAMPAIGN

According to Samuels, since he was specifically targeted, he is of the opinion that the producers of the first two videos were seeking to smear him in a bid undermine him in the upcoming local government elections.

However, within hours of Samuels’ press conference, the third video surfaced on social media, claiming more corruption allegations against him, displaying documents and names, intimating what is said to be more acts of skulduggery against permanent employees and their close relatives.

The HMC has had a long history of alleged cases of nepotism and corruption, and has impacted at least three former mayors in recent years. Samuel’s predecessor, Shernett Haughton, was charged with misconduct in a public office following investigations by the Office of the Contractor General into claims that she was involved in nepotism in a public office and breaching government guidelines.

Haughton was ultimately freed by the Hanover Parish Court after it was decided that there was not enough evidence to pursue the charges which were levelled against her.