Haughton barred from contesting upcoming election for PNP

The governing People's National Party (PNP) has dropped Shernett Haughton, a former mayor of Lucea, as a candidate for the upcoming local government elections. This follows the release some months ago of a very adverse report by the Contractor-General concerning the former mayor's conduct while in office.

The National Executive Council of the PNP, at its meeting of Sunday, ratified the decision of the Executive Committee not to allow Councillor Shernette Haughton, to be a candidate in the upcoming elections.

In a statement released on Monday afternoon, the PNP said, following a review by the Integrity Commission of the People’s National Party (PNP), the Executive Committee of the Party had accepted the reports from the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) on its investigation(s) into activities at the Hanover Parish Council, regarding allegations of nepotism, corruption and maladministration involving the former mayor.

 

It said the decision by the PNP Executive followed its acceptance “… that there are moral principles and issues of ethical conduct which are central to the findings contained in those reports."

 

It added that, "as a result of the seriousness of the issues contained in the OCG Report and notwithstanding an apology by Councillor Haughton to be made public at the next meeting of the Hanover Parish Council, Councillor Haughton will not be eligible to contest the next local government election on a PNP ticket, but will be allowed to complete her current term as a councillor and a member of the Party."

 

The PNP stressed that it had no legal authority to remove Councillor Haughton as an elected representative, and asserted that banning her from contesting the next local government election as a candidate of the Party,  is an appropriate sanction.

 

It said the Party's Executive "had accepted from the onset of the release of the Report, that strong disciplinary action would be taken once the matters had been reviewed in detail and the process of natural justice completed."