Court delays Clarendon MC showdown after councillor’s 11-hour move

The Supreme Court hearing into the leadership dispute at the Clarendon Municipal Corporation (CMC) was delayed on Friday after another councillor sought to be formally added to the proceedings, with the matter now scheduled to return to court on November 30.

The application for an interim injunction and stay of proceedings, which was scheduled to be heard on November 13, was affected by the move by Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor for the Thompson Town division, Collin Henry, to join the ongoing legal challenge.

Some attorneys reportedly indicated that they had not received all the relevant documents relating to Henry’s application, contributing to the delay.

Henry filed an application in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, seeking permission to intervene in the claim brought by Mayor Joel Williams and Deputy Mayor Clive Mundle against the municipal corporation.

In an affidavit obtained by The Gleaner, Henry alleged that councillors, including People’s National Party’s (PNP) Scean Barnswell, had given oral notice of motions seeking to remove the mayor and deputy mayor as signatories to the corporation’s bank accounts, despite an interim injunction previously granted by the court.

Henry also alleges that efforts are under way to restructure the corporation’s committees, raising further questions about the governance and administration of the local authority while the substantive dispute remains before the court.

His application follows the addition of Barnswell as an interested party to the lawsuit in late October.

Henry identified Barnswell as among those involved in the proposed motions concerning the bank signatories and the restructuring of the corporation’s committees.

LEGAL CHALLENGE

The latest application comes amid an ongoing legal challenge arising from the PNP’s ambitions to claim the mayorship after Councillor Tanyalee Williams crossed the floor in October, giving the party the majority in the municipal corporation.

The PNP signalled its intention to move no-confidence motions against the mayor and his deputy and replace them.

The court had granted interim injunctive relief restraining the corporation, its councillors, chief executive officer and other officers or agents from taking any such action at an October 16 special meeting.

Henry contended that he has a direct and substantial interest in the proceedings and could provide the court with relevant first-hand evidence.

He said any alteration to the mayor’s office could disrupt the corporation’s established administrative and financial arrangements, affecting his committee’s ability to secure funding and execute projects.

Henry said he moved to prepare and file his application after becoming aware that the motions were to be ventilated at the corporation’s November 12 sitting.

The motions, however, were not heard during Thursday’s sitting of the corporation.

olivia.brown@gleanerjm.com