Karl Samuda: Will always win his seat

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Thursday | August 30, 2007

The JLP's Karl Samuda is the chief turncoat who switched from the JLP in 1990 after being expelled in the wake of the so-called 'Gang-of-Five' rebellion against Mr. Seaga's reportedly autocratic leadership style.

Mr. Samuda joined the PNP but crossed the floor and re-entered the folds of the JLP after having reconciled with the party.

Mr. Samuda has a reputation of winning his seat despite his political allegiance.

In 1989, he had a massive 5,646 majority over Carlyle Dunkley (PNP) in St. Andrew North Western, which was shifted to the newly-created St. Andrew North Central (the 1986 constituencies (boundarie He again polled 7,017 votes to 5,144 for Shirley-Ann Eaton of the PNP, winning by 1,873.

He left the JLP within two years of his 1989 victory, crossing the floor to join the PNP. In 1993 he ran on the PNP ticket and had a very narrow victory - 171 votes - over Thomas Tavares-Finson of the JLP.

In 1997, he returned to the JLP, and successfully defended the St. Andrew North Central seat on the JLP ticket.

He polled 4,558 votes to defeat by a majority of 949 votes, the PNP's Sonia Rickards, who polled 3,609 votes. He repeated the win in 2002.