Floyd Patterson crosses the floor in Portland Parish Council

Floyd Patterson, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Councillor for the St. Margaret's Bay Division in  the Portland Parish Council, on Thursday morning symbolically crossed the floor to join the ranks of the People's National Party (PNP), the majority Party in the Council.

Addressing the monthly meeting of the Parish Council, Mr. Patterson, a former Chairman of the Council and Mayor of Port Antonio, declared that he could no longer be the JLP's representative for the Division.

He cited corrupt practices in the Division among his reasons. "The corrupt practices were unleashed in my Division, so that, at this time, I am a Councillor, but not the Chairman of the St. Margaret's Bay Division," he said.

He said his possible acceptance for membership in the PNP was yet to be ratified, but such is his determination to move on from the JLP, that he's willing to consider membership in the National Democratic Movement, a minor Party with very little remaining influence in Jamaican politics, or standing as an Independent member of the Council.