Put prima donna Lisa Hanna on trial
ON SUNDAY, December 4, 2016, the following resolution was circulated at the National Executive Council (NEC) of the People’s National Party (PNP) by long-standing Comrade Sydney Errar, with support from many members from across the island.
The chairman of the PNP, Bobby Pickersgill, accepted the resolution and indicated it would go straight to the PNP’s Internal Affairs Committee for review within 14 days. As concerned Comrades, we seek to share this with the wider public via the media, as many Comrades islandwide have expressed disappointment and upset at the behaviour of Comrade Hanna and her intent to paint a different and incomplete picture of all that has been happening in the constituency of South East St Ann and the wider PNP.
We trust the new general secretary, Julian Robinson, will ensure this matter is acted upon appropriately and report on it by December 19, 2016 accordingly. Resolution: “Whereas the constitution of the PNP, under Rule 198, empowers the National Executive Council to, “on its own initiative or on the report of any party member, inquire into the conduct of a party member and suspend or expel any such member for conduct which, in the opinion of the council, is contrary to the interest of the organisation, programmes, policies or principles of the party”;
“And whereas Rule 201 of the PNP’s constitution states that “except in cases where the Executive Committee or the National Executive Council takes summary action, breaches of party discipline shall be referred to the Disciplinary Committee for investigation and report;
“And whereas the Executive Committee of the PNP at the meeting of November 14, 2016 deliberated on the conduct of Comrade Lisa Hanna, and the Constituency Committee of St Ann South Eastern;
“And whereas the said Executive Committee of the PNP agreed that, except for the expulsion of the two independent candidates in the Moneague and Claremont divisions under Rule 206, no further action would be pursued in relation to Comrade Hanna until after the recently concluded local government elections;
“And whereas, despite Comrades Lloyd Garrick and Lambert Weir being the legitimate standardbearers of the PNP in the Moneague and Claremont divisions, respectively; and in contradiction of the Executive Committee to expel the two independent candidates of the said divisions, there have been credible reports that supporters of Comrade Hanna, and some members of the Constituency Committee, actively campaigned for the two independent candidates;
“And whereas these actions have resulted in a reduced PNP majority in the Claremont division, and a victory for the JLP in the Moneague division because of a split in the PNP support;
“And whereas there is credible evidence that the member of parliament for St Ann South Eastern, Comrade Lisa Hanna did not participate with the party president on a constituency tour and public meeting in the affected division, thereby setting a dangerous precedent for standard PNP protocol established and carefully nurtured over its 78 years of existence;
UNDERMINING THE PARTY AND PRESIDENT
“And whereas St Ann South Eastern is a bastion of the PNP, and has been the only constituency not to have ever been won by the JLP in a contested election;
“And whereas the disrespect shown by Comrade Hanna devalues the office of the president of the party, as well as the stature of the current president;
“And whereas, these actions also undermine the organisational integrity, reputation and invincibility of the PNP in what is regarded as surest and most sacred constituency;
“Be it resolved that the NEC mandates the Executive Committee of the party to act under Rules 199, 200, 201, 202 and 203 to inquire into the conduct of Comrade Lisa Hanna;
“Be it further resolved the Executive Committee mandates the Disciplinary Committee to report to the Executive Committee within 14 days of the establishment of the three-member Disciplinary Panel;
“Be it further resolved that the Executive Committee hold an extraordinary meeting on Monday, December 5, 2016 to establish the Disciplinary Panel;
“Be it further resolved that the NEC mandate the Executive Committee, at the same extraordinary meeting, to immediately dissolve the Constituency Committee of St Ann South Eastern and replace it with a Caretaker Committee until the conclusion of this matter.”