PNP councillor reports viral sex video to police, dismisses resignation claims

Uphel Purcell, the People's National Party (PNP) councillor for the York Town division in the Clarendon South Western constituency, says he has reported a viral video of him engaging in a sex act to the police's cybercrime unit.

The under two-minute long video showing the nude politician went viral on social media platforms just over a week ago.

He said the video, which appears to be a screen recording of footage, involves a woman.

The councillor says he was flung into a tailspin and remains shocked that the video went into the public domain.

Asserting himself as a victim, he contends that his privacy was violated and that he is hopeful for a full resolution to the matter.

At the same time, he is dismissing claims that he has resigned from the PNP and from his divisional and constituency roles.

"That's a lie!," he quipped when asked by The Gleaner about his reported resignation as a member of the party and chairman of the York Town divisional executive. 

He acknowledged, however, that he was called for meetings last week with constituency and divisional officials where the viral video was raised.

He claims that instead of receiving support over his ordeal, he was chastised and faced calls for him to resign.

Despite the Clarendon South Western constituency committee reporting that the councillor tendered a verbal resignation at three different meetings, Purcell said he never submitted a resignation letter and therefore remains in his positions.

When quizzed on whether he harbours plans to resign, Purcell said, "I cannot say."

He said he has been left surprised by reports coming out of the constituency that he has stepped aside.

Citing the meetings held last week with Purcell where he indicated that he would resign, the constituency committee stated that it has acted on his utterances in which he committed to step down and thereby ratified the minutes of the meeting.

Purcell has accused persons in the constituency of unfair treatment and has since written to the leadership of the PNP to register his issues.

The Clarendon South Western constituency committee has cited the content of the video as a misrepresentation of the ideals and morals of the PNP.

"The People's National Party's Constituency Committee for South Western Clarendon is aware of a video which features one of our elected councillors and has been circulating in the virtual space. It is without hesitation that the committee declares that the content of the video does not represent our ideals and morals, or that of the People's National Party, which we so proudly represent," the committee said in a release.

It went further to apologise to members, constituents, and supporters.

"It is our responsibility as leaders to ensure that we maintain the standards of the people we represent, and as such, after several meetings with the said councillor, we have accepted and ratified his resignation which was communicated to us at these meetings," the release continued.

The committee says the matter is otherwise being dealt with appropriately and expeditiously for the benefit of all.

Purcell has been the councillor for the York Town division since 1998 and stands as one of the longest serving councillors in the central parish.

- Olivia Brown

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