With talk of a general election in the air, The Jamaica Observer’s Western Bureau will help you get to know your candidates in this end of the island.

Check this column every Saturday for information about those who are seeking your vote. Who are the candidates and why should you vote for them?

This week, meet the Jamaica Labour Party’s candidate for North West St James, Dr Horace Chang.

BORN on November 10, 1952 in New Roads Westmoreland, Dr Horace Chang obtained a firm educational base at the New Roads All-Age School, Cornwall College and the University of the West Indies.

A community leader even in his formative years, he was head boy and president of the sixth form association at Cornwall College. He was also president of the Guild of Undergraduates and has been credited with distinction of clearing that organisation’s debts and re-establishing ties with the University Student Federation of Cuba.

As a young college student, Chang also held the position of president of UWI’s Medical Student Association and headed the University’s Games Committee.

Building on the base established in his earlier years, Chang also took on a leadership role in the JLP. For example, he served as deputy secretary from 1981-1983, chairman of Area Council Four and Member of Parliament for Western Hanover from 1980-1989.

His achievements in that Hanover constituency included substantial work in areas such as the construction of a new primary school in Esher, new health clinics, new food markets, a veterinary clinic for the area, expansion of services including water, telephone and electricity supplies.

During his stint as MP, there were also significant improvements in the constituency such as the establishment of the Haughton Court Industrial Estate, the construction of new hotels in the Bloody Bay section of Negril, housing developments at Orange Bay and Pell River and the paving of more than 100 miles of roadway.

Chang is also particularly proud of his role as chief motivator behind sports and community development in Western Hanover, which led to the building of the Watson Taylor Park Complex, and the rejuvenation of football in the area.

He has now turned his attention to North West St James, which consists of most of Montego Bay’s business community. According to Chang, the city has suffered from a failure of leadership that was capable of effectively implementing development programmes.

“As our town expands, the signs of inner-city decay and unplanned expansion is all around us. We earn the resources to correct these problems, it must not be allowed to continue. If the failure continues the seething undercurrent of unrest and disquiet could destroy the character of our city,” Chang said.

He added that central government had also failed to provide an environment that encourages an entrepreneurial spirit.

“Today, the spirit of Montego Bay is being suffocated by lack of foresight, interest rates, inappropriate macroeconomic policies and weak political leadership,” he argued. “Our people suffer bankruptcy, poverty, unemployment and their attendant ills. The time to change is now. Inadequate training and recreational facilities for our youth is an embarrassment to our community.”

His commitment, Chang said, was to work towards a community-inclusive approach to implement policies that would encourage development in the city.

“(My commitment) is to ensure a basic quality of life for the working people while being encouraging and supportive of our entrepreneurs.”