I am going nowhere – Meadows

WESTERN BUREAU:

DESPITE BEING removed as the People’s National Party’s (PNP) provisional candidate for Trelawny North, Dennis Meadows, who remains the party’s chairman for the constituency, has accepted the consequences of action taken against him for making inappropriate remarks, and plans to stay in the fight for his political survival.

Meadows earned the wrath of the party’s leadership when he was captured, in a video that went viral, saying that he had no problem with ‘choppers’ – the street name for lottery scammers.

His comments sparked outrage, with many reputable organisations calling on the PNP to dump him as a candidate.

Following a meeting with PNP President Mark Golding last Friday, Meadows, who said he acknowledged to the party that he had erred and brought it into disrepute, said that he supported the decision taken against him.

Additionally, he told supporters and party workers at the PNP’s Trelawny North headquarters in Falmouth that he will continue to serve as the constituency chairman.

“I remain the chairman of this constituency, I remain on the ground, and who knows what (will) come out of that,” said Meadows, who had to persuade his supporters early Friday morning not to take to the streets in protest over his removal as provisional candidate.

“I am going nowhere, any Labourite (Jamaica Labour Party supporter) you think that little video can get rid of me, I remain here ... I am going to remain here and work hard until the victory and the PNP is returned to northern Trelawny.

Meadows’ supporters, who were seemingly ‘cross, angry, and miserable’ that the PNP’s leadership had removed him despite his apology and expressions of remorse for his verbal missteps, are seemingly quite relieved that he will remain in the fold as constituency chairman.

“As I would have stated before, I never cared about politics until Dennis Meadows came to Trelawny and said he was going to run for the PNP ... Dennis Meadows is a people person who is always trying to find ways how to help people put their life together,” said Falmouth businessman Dennis Gordon, not the Dennis Gordon who is a PNP councillor in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation.

“He has won both the respect of both PNP and JLP supporters ... he made a mistake and has apologised, and that is good enough for me.”

WENT TOO FAR

While not seeking to make light of his offensive statement, Meadows admitted that while he was trying to highlight corruption that was taking place on the JLP’s side of the campaign, especially regarding seeking to solicit the support of ‘choppers’, he went too far. He also admitted being under the influence of a few ‘drinks’.

“As I said to the leader (PNP President Mark Golding), he asked me if I had a few drinks before, and I said ‘yes’,” said Meadows, who admitted that when he saw the video, and heard what was coming out of his mouth, he cringed. “I did have a few drinks of vodka before.”

While admitting that he is disappointed with how the situation has unfolded, since his preference would have been to resign than being removed, he was not bitter with the action taken against him. In fact, he was full of praise for the swiftness with which the party leader moved to hold him accountable.

“I commend the leader, (because) what it suggests is that the People’s National Party is a party on integrity and principles ... If I had said the same thing on the other side (JLP) where I am coming from I would have gotten away with it,” said Meadows. “Comrade leader acted the right way ... I am disappointed, but I am not bitter.”

With Meadows endorsing the action taken against him, at least one party supporter who had threatened to walk away from the PNP when Meadows was removed as provisional candidate says he has a change of heart.

“Look here, if Mr Meadows as our leader says he is satisfied that the action taken against him was justified, I am okay with that ... if he was leaving, I would be leaving, so if he is staying, I am staying, I believe in this man ... he is passionate about serving the people and that is what has draw me to him, even from the days he was a Labourite,” said campaign worker Desrene Granville.

editorial@gleanerjm.com