Karl Samuda steps down from Minister of Labour position.

Karl Samuda, MP of St. Andrew North Central.

 As of Monday, May 22, 2023, Karl Samuda will step down from his role as Cabinet Minister in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Mr. Samuda said he only had intentions on serving as a minister for two years, and that "the time has now come."

"I have resigned from the Cabinet. As of Monday I am no longer a member of the Cabinet. When I said that I am no longer a member of the Cabinet come Monday, I said also, that in the same speech I had indicated my intention to serve for only two, two-and-a-half years when I took the job," Samuda said. 

He explained that he was leaving the Cabinet because he did not intend to "be an obstacle to any decision the Prime Minister may wish to make in reviewing his Cabinet, to reassess his position in the party at this time. And to give him the freedom to make changes that he deems appropriate. And I am in full agreement with that."

However, Mr. Samuda, who is also the Member of Parliament for St Andrew North Central, said he will not be leaving his seat:

"I am in great health and I am not leaving my seat, so I have a lot of work to do and to ensure that all that is required for the people of my constituency they are attending to. But I am not going to be a part of the Cabinet. One doesn’t have to serve the country by necessarily being in the Cabinet." 

The now outgoing Cabinet Minister was appointed Minister of Labour and Social Security in September 2020. Prior to that, he served as Minister of Education, Youth and Information when he was appointed on June 17, 2020.

Samuda also served as Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for Education from March 2019 until June 2020. He served that ministry in a holding capacity following the departure of Ruel Reid who is to face the court on fraud charges.

There has been speculation over the past two weeks that PM Holness would soon announce a reshuffling of his Cabinet. Mr. Samuda was one of the older members who it was said  would be on his way out as the Prime Minister moves to shift around and revamp the executive at the half-way point of the administration’s current term.