Senator Peter Bunting, People’s National Party (PNP) caretaker for Manchester Central, has announced that he will not partake in the next general election and will be departing his constituency.

“This will be the last round of conferences – divisional and constituency conferences – where I am the standard-bearer, whether chairman or MP (member of parliament),” he said.

The senator further noted that he already shared the shared the news of his departure with his constituency executive in January. 

At the last general election in 2020, Bunting lost to Rhoda Moy Crawford.

In the meantime, Mayor of Mandeville Donovan Mitchell has signalled his intention to challenge for the Manchester Central constituency in the next general elections.

Bunting’s announcement follows recent news that both Lisa Hanna and Hugh Graham will leave the PNP. Hannah noted that she is stepping away from representational politics. However, reports are that Graham may jump ship to join the governing party, the Jamaica Labour Party.