Clarendon Municipal Corporation meeting ends abruptly as PNP councillors demand mayor’s resignation

Thursday's sitting of the Clarendon Municipal Corporation ended abruptly after a stalemate developed following a demand by People's National Party (PNP) councillors for Mayor Joel Williams' resignation. 

This call follows the re-election of PNP Councillor Delroy Dawson, who won the by-election in the Aenon Town division in November.

Dawson secured his seat by defeating the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Suzette Barton by a margin of 54 votes, polling 1,646 votes to Barton's 1,592. 

That win has caused a tie between the PNP and JLP in the municipal corporation. However, the PNP councillors are pushing to have a mayor installed from their side given that they won the popular vote.

Scean Barnswell, the minority leader in the corporation, has accused the mayor of "cherry-picking" sections of the Local Governance Act to his advantage.

Barnswell said the PNP is prepared to take the matter to court.

- Olivia Brown

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