WITH the talk of 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 Central Westmoreland.

Name: Trevor L Brooks

Date of Birth: May 17, 1950

Trevor Brooks, an attorney by profession, attended the Mannings High School in Westmoreland and worked at the Ministry of Education before migrating to the United States of America in 1967.

While in the US, he attended the State University of New York where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He then studied Law at the Hofstra Law School and graduated in 1975 with a Juris Doctor degree.

He later practiced Law at the Nassau County Justice Commission and in 1977 formed his firm in Manhattan, New York, where for the next 20 years, he represented clients such as the NYC Housing Department, Amtrak and the New York State Urban Development Corporation.

Brooks also attended the University of the West Indies and the Norman Manley Law School.

He has been a member of the JLP’s standing committee since 1997 and is the co-chairman of the JLP’s foreign relations committee.

Brooks is presently involved in real estate and farming and practices law on a small scale in Westmoreland.

He now responds to the question: Why should I vote for you?

The people of the constituency need jobs and I have the leadership quality and the ability to create employment. As a part of my job creation policy, I plan to lobby for the reopening of the ice, plastic and garment factories, which were closed in recent years.

Since the sugar industry plays a critical role in the parish of Westmoreland, I plan to invite representatives from successful sugar companies such as Worthy Park and Appleton Estate to provide the framework and solution to save the industry.

I believe that the sugar industry in the parish is in trouble, but I know that with proper management, the industry can become viable.

I also plan to tackle the problems facing the fishing and agricultural sectors so that they will be able to make a more significant contribution to the parish.

My focus, therefore, will be the creation of jobs. There are just too many persons unemployed in the constituency. I am confident that I can make a difference in this critical area.

Training centres, sporting facilities, health care institutions are also areas that will receive priority treatment.