Samuda pledges to mend fences in NE St Ann

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for North East St Ann, Matthew Samuda, has said he will continue committed his efforts to rebuild the relationship between the governing party and constituents. 

Since Marsha Smith was elected as Member or Parliament (MP) for North East St Ann in 2020, some JLP supporters had staged protests to signal to members of the party's hierarchy their frustration with her lack of performance in the constituency. 

Last Tuesday, Smith resigned with immediate effect as MP, paving the way for a by-election and Samuda being formally announced as the party's candidate. 

At a JLP workers' retreat at the Marcus Garvey Technical High School in St Ann's Bay, St Ann on Sunday, Samuda recognised the need to rebuild the "love" displayed for constituents by late MP Shahine Robinson, who died in May of 2020. 

Robinson first became MP for the seat by way of a by-election in 2021, and went on to serve there for four terms. She is credited for transforming the seat into a JLP stronghold. 

According to Samuda, elections are about two things - how people feel and turning that feeling into a vote.

"Shahine Robinson made this constituency feel loved. We have to show tender loving care to rebuild what Shahine Robinson built," he declared.

"We are half-way there, but... there is more work to be done. 

"But I commit to you with every ounce of energy that I have, with every fiber in my being that we are going to work together to rebuild, build stronger, and even get greater overtime with the relationship with our people," Samuda indicated. 

However, he said the relationship is "still way stronger than anything the PNP (People's National Party) could contemplate."

In the wake of JLP's sweeping victory in the recent Local Government Elections, claiming all four municipal divisions in North East St Ann, Samuda confidently predicted a resounding defeat for the Opposition PNP in the upcoming September 30 by-election if they had contested the poll.

The former Government senator  forecasted a winning margin of over 4,000 votes for the JLP.

The PNP has cited their focus on general elections as one of the reasons for not fielding a candidate in the by-election. 

Meanwhile, Samuda said he is confident that the people of North East St Ann want him to be their parliamentary representative.

He told labourites that he brings honesty to the table, as he has told persons the truth about when and how their various issues in the constituency will be addressed.

"I hope that you can honestly say that for the last year-and-a half I have been in the constituency, I have displayed those traits, which are honesty and genuineness," Samunda stated.