The JLP caucus of the St. Ann Municipal Corporation is today recommending that St. Ann’s Bay Mayor, the JLP’s Michael Belnavis resign his post.
The decision follows a meeting of the JLP members of the St. Ann Municipal Corporation this afternoon.
Mayor Belnavis has come under heavy scrutiny in recent weeks after allegations of misconduct surfaced.
Deputy Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party, Desmond McKenzie, who was at the meeting says the decision was taken on the basis of what’s been in the public domain in recent weeks.
Allegations have surfaced that the Mayor is a Director of a Private Company that captured government land and constructed a building in violation of Jamaica’s Building Act.
The allegation prompted calls for the Mayor to resign or be removed by the membership of the St. Ann Municipal Corporation.
According to Mr. McKenzie, who is also Minister of Local Government and Community Development, the meeting was attended by all 11 JLP Councilors including the Mayor, and it was concluded that the Mayor step aside while the matters being ventilated in the public domain are investigated.
However, Mr. McKenzie would not comment as to whether Mayor Belnavis agreed to step aside.
He says the Councilors also strongly expressed the importance of ensuring the Municipal Corporation adheres to modern principles and standards of good governance.
However, he made it clear that the Councilors did not in any way accuse the Mayor of impropriety.
Several attempts to contact Mayor Belnavis failed.
