All this week we've been reporting on the expulsion of Mayor Zenaida Moya Flowers. On Tuesday party chairman Douglas Singh confirmed that she never submitted an appeal. He said she did send a letter but it was delivered after the 30 days granted for an appeal. He added that it was not a technical appeal per se; he characterized it as a personal appeal. With that, he told us the expulsion of Mayor Zenaida Moya from the UDP was official.
But the chairman has had to - shall we say - re-calibrate his position? He today told 7News Director Jules Vasquez that he has spoken with Mayor Moya Flowers and she informed him that the letter she sent was an appeal. He added that quote, "we're gonna accommodate her with that appeal."
That's a real game-changer because it means that Moya is not officially expelled from the UDP; she now has a chance to be heard at an appeal. That is, if she chooses. Singh made it clear that she may choose another course of action - such as choose not to be heard and then apply for re-instatement.
The back and forth may seem slightly confusing, but it is not at all that way for Mayor Moya-Flowers. When we spoke with Singh on Wednesday, he shared with us Moya's letter of June 18th - which we now know was her letter of appeal.
In it she says that she accepts the charges and findings of the ethics committee and the she, quote, "humbly retracts anything she said in the heat of the moment which may have caused any embarrassment to the party." Moya adds that she, quote: "subscribes to the relentless efforts of our party leader to fight public corruption and wrongdoing."
That was June 18th - and now, 7news has also seen another letter dated yesterday in which Mayor Moya Flowers demonstrates to Singh that her appeal was submitted within the 30 days granted.
Moya Flowers compellingly argues that she received her letter of expulsion on May 21st., so 30 days would bring her to Sunday June 20th. And she sent the letter of appeal on Friday, June 18th. More than that she provides phone records from her cell phone to Singh's showing that she called him just as the letter was sent!
That's almost too much information, but in yesterday's letter, Moya made it clear that she has to go that extra mile because, quote: "Followed all procedures, but whether deliberately or mistakenly, such has not been reciprocated."
She closes yesterday's letter by saying that, quote, "I am A UDP and will remain a faithful UDP regardless of how I have been disrespected and with all your attempts to frustrate my legal rights."
So that's where it stands tonight - Moya will have her appeal heard and strictly speaking her expulsion is not final. We'll keep you posted on what's quickly becoming a political soap opera.
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