7 'Labourite' independents get expelled

The move follows the decision of the governing People's National Party (PNP) to expel two of its members for the same offence.

COMMITTEE DECISION

A press release issued yesterday by the JLP said the party had made the decision to boot the members at its Standing Committee meeting on Monday night.

Those expelled are Ho-ward Charvis, Homestead division; Knox Johnson, Hampton Green division; Cleveland Lindsay, Spanish Town division; Lloyd Ebanks, Linstead division in St. Catherine; Leroy Gray, Maroon Town division in St. James; Lilieth Richards, Gibraltar division; and Sherman Harris, Brown's Town division, St. Ann.

All seven were nominated last Friday to contest the upcoming polls.

According to Dr. Ken Baugh, JLP general secretary, the party's constitution is clear on the issue. He noted that members are aware that once they nominate to contest elections against persons selected by the party, they forfeit their right of membership.

The release quoted Section 36 (2) of the party's constitution as saying: "Any member of the party who accepts nomination as a candidate for Central or Local Govern-ment election representing any other party or as an independent candidate contesting against a candidate of the Jamaica Labour Party shall be liable to summary expulsion."

PNP BREACHES

On the weekend, the PNP announced that it had ex-pelled two of its members for nominating as independent candidates to run in the elections. They are Wendell 'Bull Bull' Stewart, a former MP for North Trelawny who nominated in the Falmouth division, and Robert Stewart, an aspirant for the Port Maria division, St. Mary.

Like the JLP, the PNP argued that the move by both men contravened the party's constitution.

Meanwhile, councillors will remain in their respective positions and are still allowed to make any necessary major decisions, leading up to the June 19 poll.