SENIOR Cabinet minister Karl Samuda yesterday said that he told area leaders in his North Central St Andrew constituency that he will no longer utilise their help in upcoming election campaigns, even if it costs him his seat.

Samuda's revelation came on the same day that the Opposition People's National Party (PNP), in a news release, said its integrity commission will be placing emphasis on party financing and financial reporting, candidate selection, a code of ethics and the development of a register of interests over the next three months.

Samuda, general secretary of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the minister of industry, investment and commerce, said he recently advised area leaders of his position, in keeping with his Government's renewed thrust against organised crime.

Samuda, who has won the North Central St Andrew seat on both JLP and PNP tickets, did not say, however, to what extent he depended on the community leaders in the past at election time.

"I have advised everyone at the area leader level. Those elements exist and they have existed (in my constituency)," Samuda told the Observer. "I have had discussions and I have indicated in the strongest way I can that any continuation of activity that results in breaking the law, intimidation, extortion, anything of that kind has no place."

He was responding to questions following his comments yesterday at the launch of Orkin Jamaica -- a local franchise of a US-based pest control company -- at the headquarters of the Guardsman Group in St Andrew.

Samuda said he was following the lead of Prime Minister Bruce Golding, in what he described as an unprecedented assault on crime in the country.

"Gone are the days when persons engaged in gangsterism and donmanship can seek to find political affiliation with the party we represent as the Government," Samuda said. "There is no safe haven in the Jamaica Labour Party for persons engaged in crime and violence and who lead gangs. Those days are over, it is a redundant notion that through force you can influence people to vote one way or the other."

At the same time, he urged all MPs to take a similar stand against area leaders -- in most cases a polite title for dons and gang leaders -- in their constituencies.

With the measures being taken by the Government in carrying out operations in several crime-prone communities in the search for wanted men, guns and ammunition, Samuda said he expected a dramatic reduction in crime.

Yesterday, Kenny Benjamin, executive chairman of the Guardsman Group which secured the Orkin franchise, said he was determined to achieve the high standards set by Orkin in the local franchise. He said Orkin Jamaica would serve both commercial and residential customers and would respond to calls within 24 hours.

Samuda commended Guardsman on its decision to operate a franchise from Orkin, rather than "starting from scratch" the pest control business. He said Orkin Jamaica would benefit from the training and experience of its parent company.

Meanwhile, the PNP, in its release, said the integrity commission, which includes three independents, would be investigating circumstances of breaches in ethical standards of its members, as requested by the executive or officers of the party.

"The commission takes very seriously the responsibility that the party has vested in it, giving it the power to commence investigations on its own volition circumstances where information has come to its attention which it regards as sufficient to warrant a deeper probe into the activities of candidates," the release quoted Bishop Wellesley Blair, chairman of the five-member commission.

Blair and two other commissioners -- actuary Daisy Coke, and retired permanent secretary Cedric McCulloch -- are not members of the PNP.

The other members are educator and former Cabinet minister Burchell Whiteman, and attorney Fred Hammaty, a former senator.