Samuda’s open letter to Old Harbour North voters

Samuda, a well-known businessman, is the People’s National Party’s (PNP’s) councillor candidate for the division seeking to unseat incumbent Keith Knight of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

“Old Harbour North Division is in need of a visionary leader with capabilities to advocate for the essential needs of its residents,” writes the popular restaurateur of the Kaluga Kafe brand.

“It has never been clearer that change is needed. We have tried and tested the current Councillor of Old Harbour North Division, who have failed to be accessible, failed to address the painful needs of residents and failed to offer workable solutions.

“It is now necessary for a change of councillor to one with a credible mission and plans to improve the lives of the residents.”

Knight, also a businessman, finally won the approval of the electorate at the 2016 Parish Council Elections after successive defeats in 2007 and 2012.

Both men are natives of the division with Knight some 20 years senior in age to the 39-year-old Samuda.

Samuda since making his bow into representational politics has been a constant critic of Knight, branding his arch rival as ultra-partisan, lacking vision and decency to connect and communicate with the people.

“We must now change our communities from one where disrespect and who you know counts, to a place where respect, care and fairness means something,” he stated further in his message shared on all his social media platforms.

Samuda further stated to Old Harbour News that given his experience as a banker, entrepreneur who built a business from scratch and former chamber of commerce president, his track record speaks for itself and that he’s better suited for the job to transform a division that is historically dominated by the PNP.

He concluded: “I hope to meet and interact with you while going through the communities in the coming weeks, but in the meantime please do not hesitate to contact me. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family safe and healthy days.”

Local Government Elections are constitutionally due February 2024.

It is widely anticipated that Jamaicans will go to the polls to determine their councillors with both major political parties intensifying their campaigns across the country in recent weeks.