Daryl Vaz

After serving as managing director in at least four private entities during the early 1980s, Daryl Vaz has shifted focus to representational politics and is expected to take his seat for the first time in Gordon House.

Vaz, who was named Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, has specific duties to monitor project implementation and service delivery in government.

The son of Douglas Vaz, a former Minister of Industry and Commerce in the Edward Seaga-administration of the 1980s, Mr. Vaz is the deputy treasurer of the Jamaica Labour Party.

Mr. Vaz was the founding president of the Jamaica Used-Car Dealer's Association and held the position of director of the Jamaica Lottery Company board.

He is married with five children.

Franklyn Witter

Franklyn Witter, will relinquish his position as mayor of Black River this week, as he takes his seat as Member of Parliament for St. Elizabeth South East, in the House of Representatives on Thursday.

A former teacher, Mr. Witter held positions as chief executive officer with a private company and was vice-chairman of the Alpart Community Council.

Mr. Witter is a graduate of Church Teachers' College in Manchester and is married.

Dr. Christopher Tufton

Considered one of the bright sparks of the Jamaica Labour Party, Dr. Christopher Tufton is no stranger to Parliament. This time, however, he will take his seat in the Lower House on the Government side, after serving as Opposition senator for several years during the last session of Parliament.

The new Member of Parliament for St. Elizabeth South West, Dr. Tufton has been named Minister of Agriculture in the Bruce Golding-led administration.

A former lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Dr. Tufton has a doctorate in business administration from the Manchester Business School in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Tufton is married with three children.

Michael Stern

Unseating the former Member of Parliament Richard Azan in the September 3 general election, political neophyte, Michael Stern will, this week, take his place in the 60-seat House of Representatives.

The Clarendon North West MP is the owner and director of a number of companies involved in telecommunications, retail sales, financial services and real estate.

He has pledged to erase party lines and unite residents in his constituency.

Mr. Stern was educated at a number of local and international institutions including Excelsior Community College, Florida International University, the University of South Florida and the University of Miami.

Robert Montague

Robert Montague, Member of Parliament for St. Mary Western, has been given the task to complete the process of local-government reform and will play an active role in the move to entrench local government in the Constitution.

At the swearing-in ceremony of State Ministers last week, Mr. Montague was appointed a junior minister in the Office of the Prime Minister and charged with bringing to an end the elongated process of local-government reform.

Mr. Montague is expected to give up his position as mayor of Port Maria.

A graduate of the College of Agriculture, Mr. Montague also attended St. Mary High, where he was head boy.

Laurie Broderick

Laurie Broderick is the MP for Clarendon Northern.

An attorney-at-law with L.G.S Broderick and Company, Mr. Broderick has 24 years' experience in the profession, gaining early experience at Myers, Fletcher and Gordon.

Mr. Broderick was educated at the College of Law in London and attended Jamaica College.

He is married with three children.

Othneil Lawrence

St. Ann North West has given Othneil Lawrence the nod to take a seat in the 60-member House of Representatives.

Mr. Lawrence is the managing director for Runaway Bay Communication, Western Union and Digicel outlets in Runaway Bay.

He chairs the Liberty All-Age School, is an executive of the St. Ann Football Association, and also a delegate of the Jamaica Football Federation.

Veteran MPs

Mike Henry

Mike Henry, Member of Parliament for Central Clarendon, is one of two current parliamentarians with 27 years of consecutive service as MP, the other being Karl Samuda.

The constituents of Central Clarendon have consistently given Mr. Henry the nod as their representative.

Mr. Henry, a publisher by profession, has been given portfolio responsibility for the Ministry of Transport and Works.

He is married and has four children.

Karl Samuda

Karl Samuda, Member of Parliament for St. Andrew North Central, has chalked up seven wins in his political career, dating back to the general election of 1980. He will take his seat in Gordon House later this week, with 27 unbroken years under his belt as MP.

The new Minister of Industry and Commerce has given a commitment to cut unnecessary red tape in Government to facilitate a speedier approval process for businesses. One of his priority areas is the development of the micro- and small-business sector in Jamaica.

Mr. Samuda, who is the general secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party, attended Ardenne High School and studied at the University of Ottawa.

He is married with three sons.

Portia Simpson Miller

Portia Simpson Miller, will this week, enter Gordon House, set to carry out her mandate as leader of the Opposition People's National Party (PNP).

Mrs. Simpson Miller has distinguished herself as the only female MP in contemporary Jamaica to score seven wins at the polls, serving a total of 26 years in the House of Representatives.

The PNP president, who holds an iron grip on St. Andrew South Western, has never lost an election in that constituency, except for the 1983 'snap election', which the PNP did not contest.

This means Mrs. Simpson Miller's service was broken as Member of Parliament for the period 1983 to 1989.

Derrick Smith

Derrick Smith, who first won a seat to the House of Representatives in Kingston West Central in the 1983 so-called snap election, will enter Gordon House on Thursday as one of three MPs who have served consecutively for more than a decade.

On September 27, Mr. Smith will take his seat on the Government side of the chamber, having recorded 24 years of unbroken service as an MP.

One of the four Jamaica Labour Party deputy leaders, Mr. Smith formerly held the position of leader of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives. It is not yet known whether his position will now be upgraded to leader of Government Business in the House.

Mr. Smith has been given portfolio responsibility for the Ministry of National Security.

The veteran parliamentarian is a past student of Calabar High School and the University of Technology. He is married with three sons.