About Minister
The Hon. Karl Samuda is a businessman, farmer, a real estate developer, and a technocrat. But, he is best known as a veteran politician.
Minister Samuda is the Minister of Labour and Social Security. He previously served as Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Minister of Industry, Commerce Agriculture & Fisheries as well as Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC). He has also served as a Minister of State in earlier administrations.
He attended Ardenne High School and pursued tertiary education in Canada, where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Ottawa. Steeped in the discipline of Business Administration, he returned to Jamaica and was employed to Alcan Jamaica Limited and Industrial Gases Limited, before venturing into furniture manufacturing and later farming. These vocations which still occupy his interest, whenever his ministerial duties and political activities allow.
Minister Samuda also served on the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, having previously served an eight-year stint as a member of the Electoral Advisory Committee.
A former General Secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party, Minister Samuda has been the Member of Parliament for St. Andrew, North Central since 1980, and has the distinction of representing both major political parties in that constituency He is one of only two Members of Parliament, who has the distinction of winning ten (10) Consecutive General Elections.
Minister Samuda has been described as a no-nonsense individual with a passion for hard work and an insatiable appetite for success.
He is married and has three sons.