Gallimore walks away

One week after his defeat at the polls, former junior minister Andrew Gallimore has resigned as the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) constituency chairman for West Rural St Andrew.

However, the former two-term member of Parliament said the defeat only fast-tracked plans he had already communicated to his family and close friends to step away from representational politics.

Gallimore, in his resignation letter which was made public yesterday, said in the past year, he advised family members, close friends, and colleagues that this would have been his last election.

The former junior minister for labour and social security said it was his intention to make this decision public in two and a half years to ensure that his successor had adequate time to take over.

"The results of the recent elections were not what I had hoped for or anticipated. Nevertheless, the people have spoken and I accept their will, which has merely moved my timetable forward," he said.

Gallimore, 47, said he wants to focus on the growth and development of his private business and spend more time with his family "who have sacrificed greatly during my time in representational politics".

The former parliamentarian thanked the leadership of the JLP and the people of West Rural St Andrew and said he would make himself available to assist the JLP in "some other capacity".

Gallimore was elected member of Parliament for West Rural St Andrew in the 2002 general election.

He won re-election five years later in the 2007 polls before he was defeated last Thursday by the People's National Party's Paul Buchanan.