Seiveright, Marks complete JLP slate for next general election
Published:Thursday | June 12, 2025 | 12:10 AMLester Hinds/Gleaner Writer
The ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has selected two recently minted senators, Ambassador Audrey Marks and Delano Seiveright, to be its standard-bearers in Manchester North East and St Andrew North Central, respectively.
Marks, the former Jamaican ambassador to the United States, will replace veteran parliamentarian Audley Shaw, while Seiveright has been given the nod in St Andrew North Central to replace Karl Samuda, also a long-standing member of parliament in Gordon House.
Dr Horace Chang, general secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party, confirmed to The Gleaner that both have been chosen as the party’s prospective candidates.
“We have completed the process and selected candidates for both seats,” he said.
With the selection of Marks and Seiveright, the JLP has completed its full slate of candidates to contest the upcoming general election which is constitutionally due no later than September this year.
The Manchester North East and St Andrew North Central seats have seen various hopefuls vying to become the party’s standardbearers, leading to rancour among JLP supporters in both constituencies.
In Manchester North East, previous aspirants to replace Shaw included Omar Miller and Hidran McKulsky. Shaw had given his support to Miller, but the party’s Central Executive did not sign off on the candidacies of either.
In St Andrew North Central, Seiveright was set to face off against Christian Tavares-Finson, the son of Senate President Tom Tavares-Finson, who was also vying to replace Samuda.
The impending battle was staved off when, in May, both Seiveright and the younger Tavares-Finson withdrew their applications to be selected as the candidate for the seat.
Speaking with The Gleaner about running as a candidate, Marks, who is a minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, told The Gleaner yesterday that she accepted the executive’s invitation to be the party’s standard-bearer in the constituency.
“I formally said yes to the [party] executive yesterday (Tuesday),” she told The Gleaner.
Marks said she has already met with the other two persons who had aspirations for the seat, and that they have endorsed her candidacy. She said she has also met with other members of the constituency to seek their support.
She plans on meeting with the current holder of the seat, Shaw, next week.
“I travelled to the constituency yesterday (Tuesday) with the prime minister and met with all the players, and now I am in the process of putting an election team in place,” she told The Gleaner.
Marks, who has previously said she had no interest in representational politics, told The Gleaner that she decided to make the move because she believes she has a role to play in Jamaica’s continued development.
“I will play my part in this. Having met with the people, I feel a connection with the constituency, coming from a rural parish myself,” she said.
According to Marks, the party executive pressed her to take over the seat, given her background and strong name recognition.
“I will be looking for ways to create opportunities for the young people in the constituency, as well as seek out economic development for the area, whether in the creation of more small businesses or large-scale projects,” she said.
Marks told The Gleaner that she is new to the process of representational politics, but felt that she had to say ‘yes’ when asked, given the current state of the constituency.
“I know that the Government has put in place a very strong plan to grow and achieve economic growth so Jamaica can achieve the goals of the 2030 vision, and I can be a very strong part of this development,” she said.
Marks said she only informed her family members of her decision on Tuesday, after accepting the invitation.
Seiveright, who is minister of state in the Ministry of Tourism, told The Gleaner that he was honoured by the strong support from the people of St Andrew North Central.
“The outpouring of encouragement from all walks of life has been humbling and energising. We have full confidence in the Jamaica Labour Party’s fair and transparent processes,” he said.