JLP, PNP clear election candidates

The commissions set up by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP) to investigate and clear candidates for the general elections due 2012 has been working overtime to give prospective candidates the green light for selection, the parties have confirmed.

JLP general secretary Aundré Franklin said its selection committee is similar to the PNP’s integrity commission, and has, in the past, given unfavourable findings on some aspirants.

“We depend on our selection committee to provide security clearance to all aspirants seeking to represent the party. And in the past it has had to say to some that the party has not found favour with your application at this time,” the general secretary said on Monday.

According to Franklin, the party goes even further. “Enquiries are made with the legal profession to ascertain whether there are pending cases involving aspirants as well as among the business sector, and even among former partners. And its not just the aspirants. Incumbents, as well as aspirants are evaluated and investigated, and are only declared candidates if they are ratified by the Central Executive,” the general secretary said.

Franklin said the findings of the Operation’s Council and Selection Committee are highly respected and goes to the Central Executive for ratification.

The opposition PNP has confirmed that the integrity commission it set up just over a year ago has cleared all the candidates the party has confirmed to represent it in the next general elections.

Deputy general secretary for administration, Julian Robinson said as far as he was aware, it did not recommend the axing of Hanover Western Member of Parliament Ian Hayles from the party shadow cabinet, and Senator Basil Waite who was the spokesman on education.

The PNP’s NEC like the JLP’s Central Executive, is the second highest decision-making body outside of annual conference.

PNP president Portia Simpson Miller in May, removed Hayles, who was the spokesman on industry and commerce from the shadow cabinet and replaced him with Anthony Hylton, former minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade. Kingston Central Member of Parliament Ronald Thwaites replaced Waite.

The PNP, like the JLP said it would not make public, findings by its investigative arms, and Robinson, said as far as he was aware, there were two different reasons for the exclusions of the two from the new shadow cabinet.

“One opted for personal reasons, and the other was not considered because of a pending court matter,” he said.

Hayles is one of two MPs who won the last general elections on the PNP’s ticket, but who are embroiled in a dual citizenship court battle, which threatened to topple the JLP administration. Hayles’ matter is to be heard by the courts before year-end. Several attempts to reach both Hayles and Waite were unsuccessful.

Both parties are finalising their slate of candidates for the next general election due 2012 and just ahead of annual conference, due September for the PNP and November for the JLP.

“All the candidates who have been confirmed and passed by the party’s national executive council (NEC) have been cleared by the integrity commission,” Robinson said.

Source: The Gleaner