Michael Belnavis sworn in as Mayor 4 years after being forced to resign

Councillor Michael Belnavis, a representative of the Jamaican Labour Party (JLP) from the Ocho Rios Division, was sworn in as the Mayor of St Ann’s Bay and chairman of the St Ann Municipal Corporation this Thursday, Belnavis had previously resigned from the position in 2020.

Belnavis was one of the 16 councillors sworn in, 11 from the JLP and 5 from the People’s National Party (PNP). Along with him Cardell Wikham from the Gibraltar Division was elected the Deputy Mayor of St. Ann’s Bay. Sydney Stewart, former mayor of St. Ann’s Bay was the official to elect Belnavis for the role.

Belnavis was previously forced to resign due to what some perceived was an abuse of power, this is about when he installed a charging port compatible with his premium electric vehicle at the St. Ann Municipal Corporation’s office for personal use without consultation or authorization, it was seen as a luxury spend amidst COVID-19. Public pressure encouraged the Integrity Commission to share a report, citing the incident as an abuse of power.

Eventually, his name was cleared of any ill intent or wrongdoing, he was also repaid the installation cost for his Porsche’s charger which amounted close to $80,000. His return to power was met with cheer and public support, JLP supporters presented themselves in large numbers chanting “Belnavis back in council, we marching to council”.

Belnavis has spoken publicly about the incident that previously stripped him of power stating “I’ve always said that I didn’t do anything wrong and for the mere fact that the people supported me and bring me back in with a comfortable margin in Ocho Rios. My colleagues also recognize that I didn’t necessarily do anything wrong.”

His current focus remains on enabling job creation and growth for regional residents stating “The parish is going through a growing phase, with major investments coming in. We want prosperity for all and to ensure that we do the work necessary so that the people get the employment that they need. We have to deal with the infrastructure issues, water, road and a lot of other issues out there”

Councillor Richard Vernon was also sworn in as the Mayor of Montego Bay and Chairman of the St. James municipal corporation, Vernon will lead 17 different councillors for his divisions who were also sworn in alongside him. Among the elected Dwight Crawford, who will be serving as the Deputy Mayor, he emphasized in an address that the general public's support will be paramount to achieving a brighter future, regardless of the political divide.

He states “The mission for a more prosperous future is one of partnership, collectivism and equal rights and justice. I humbly accept this challenge and I charge my council that, at the end of the tenure, the mission will represent demonstrable vistas.”