George Henry, Gleaner Writer

Lyn

SPALDINGS, Clarendon:

PEOPLE'S NATIONAL Party (PNP) caretaker for North East Manchester and Spaldings businessman, Paul Lyn, has resigned.

Lyn's resignation comes less than a week after the party's presidential election and after Rosemarie Shaw, the Western St Thomas caretaker, relinquished her position.

Several other members of the Arise and Renew team, headed by Dr Peter Phillips, have also resigned shadow spokesperson positions.

Poor pay

Lyn, who handed in his resignation letter to the party secretariat on Monday, claimed that he has been earning very little income for the last four years that he dedicated his time, energy and financial resources to the constituency.

"This has taken its toll on me and my family, and I have absolutely no choice but to begin the repair of my finances," he said.

Lyn, who entered representational politics four years ago, and contested the North East Manchester seat against the Jamaica Labour Party's Audley Shaw in the 2007 general election, said the outcome of the PNP's presidential election did not influence his decision to step aside.

"It has nothing to do with the result on Saturday," said Lyn, a former Portia Simpson Miller backer who switched to support Phillips in the recent presidential campaign.

Pledge to support portia

"It was unanimous that the leader of the People's National Party remains Comrade Portia Simpson Miller; and all the Comrades of North East Manchester fully support her; and I accept that she is the leader, and I will throw whatever support I can behind her," Lyn said.

He added that the resignation letter was written from August, and that his departure takes effect at the end of September.

Lyn said now that he is out of representational politics, he will have sufficient time to concentrate on a number of business ventures that he intends to pursue. But he said he will remain a member of the PNP.

The outgoing PNP caretaker said the people of North East Manchester would have to decide who they want to represent them in future elections.