Incoming Morant Bay mayor looks to revive capital

A clean town and Christmas fireworks are two of the immediate plans Hubert Williams, the mayor-in-waiting, has on his agenda for Morant Bay when he assumes the role next Monday.

Williams, the People’s National Party (PNP) councillor for the White Horses division in the St Thomas Municipal Corporation, said the short-term plan is to revive what he has cast as a dying town capital.

“Not a lot of people coming into the parish, because of the condition of the road. So, it is important for us to make it lively again and to show that somebody cares,” he told The Gleaner Friday, referencing the ongoing multibillion-dollar Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project that has caused untold woe for motorists.

“It is a privilege and an honour to serve. The first thing I want to do is to clean up the town of Morant Bay. ... I want to do a very good Christmas treat just after the pandemic to put back some life into the parish,” he said.

Williams, the minority leader, was on Thursday appointed deputy mayor during the sitting of the corporation by outgoing Mayor Michael Hue, whose resignation is to take effect on November 21.

Hue is the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor for the Port Morant division.

His resignation was triggered by the death of Lenworth Rawle, then deputy mayor and JLP councillor for the Trinityville division.

Rawle died in New York on October 31.

His death created a shift in the balance of power in the St Thomas Municipal Corporation, where the PNP and JLP both held five divisions.

The JLP earned the right to choose the mayor by virtue of securing the popular vote from the November 2016 local government elections. This resulted in the party’s control of the corporation.

Williams said he and Hue have planned for a seamless handover of power.

Hue could not be reached for comment when contacted by The Gleaner on Friday.

“I would be disingenuous to say that it is not a smooth transition. He (Hue) didn’t hesitate to declare the position vacant for deputy mayor to start the transition process and also, he tendered his resignation. He read it in the minutes. So, there’s nothing else for him to do. He has been cooperating well in terms of the whole process of the council,” Williams said.

Section 104 of the Parish Council Act stipulates that the seat of an elected councillor can only be declared vacant when it is entered into the minutes of the council meeting.

In moving forward, Williams is anticipating the support of councillors on both sides.

“I expect cooperation ... . It’s a voting exercise, and if you look at the minutes, nobody else was nominated for the position on either side. So, obviously, the cooperation is there,” he said.

Local government elections are due by February 2023.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com