Jamaica’s labor minister Karl Samuda resigns from Cabinet

Jamaica’s Minister of Labor and Social Security, Karl Samuda has announced his departure from the Cabinet which takes effect on Monday, May 22.

Samuda, 81, made the first announcement at a Labor Relations Awards Banquet at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston on Friday night.

In a radio interview, Samuda told reporters that it was always his plan to serve in the Cabinet for "two to three years" following the 2020 General Elections.

"It's about two and a half years where we are almost, and so, with the prime minister in need of a review, I would daresay that it is definitely necessary, and therefore, I give him (Andrew Holness) that opportunity by stepping aside and giving him a free hand to go and select a person of his choice to go forward," Samuda said.

While Samuda has departed from Cabinet, he will not be resigning as Member of Parliament (MP) for North Central St Andrew.  He has been the parliamentary representative there since 1980.

Samuda was first appointed Minister of Labor and Social Security in September 2020.

On June 17, 2020, he was appointed Minister of Education, Youth, and Information.

He also served as Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for education from March 2019 until June 2020.