Shanique Myrie applies to represent the PNP in parish council elections

Shanique Myrie, the Jamaican woman who won Barbados in a free movement court case is seeking to enter political representation in the Corporate Area.

The 27-year-old told The Gleaner that, yesterday she submitted an application to represent the People’s National Party (PNP) in the Olympic Gardens Division in St. Andrew in the upcoming local government polls.

“I’ve always loved politics. I’m always up and down campaigning. Politics was always something I've wanted to do and I’m going for it”, Myrie told The Gleaner/Power 106 News.

According to her, she wants to make a ‘change’ in the lives of residents, who have been “neglected” by their political representatives.

“It’s a Labourite seat and in my community, the people hardly get anything and many kids, older people need help. I want to make a change,” she added.

The Jamaica Labour Party’s Christopher Townsend currently represents the Olympic Garden’s Division in the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation.

Myrie also believes that her popularity as a result of her case against Barbados will help her to connect with the people she hopes to represent.

“People always see me as a strong female. A lot of people in my community admire and respect me. When they heard I wanted to run, they said they know I will make a change,” Myrie noted.

In the meantime, PNP general secretary, Paul Burke, says a candidate has already been confirmed for the Olympic Gardens Division.

However, he has declined to name the representative.

Burke also says some divisions are being reviewed but declined to indicate which ones.

Myrie was denied entry into Barbados in 2011, and in October 2013, the Caribbean Court of Justice, awarded her damages in the sum of J$4 million.

She alleged that when she travelled to Barbados on March 14, 2011, she was discriminated against because of her nationality, subjected to a body cavity search, detained overnight in a cell, and deported to Jamaica the following day.

The case angered Jamaicans and forced CARICOM countries to review their policies for nationals entering their borders.