WESTERN BUREAU — Devon McDaniel, the newly elected Member of par-liament for South Trelawny, has not been sworn into office yet, but that isn’t stopping him from moving ahead with the promises he made on the campaign trail.

He told the Observer on Thursday that talks are already well advanced with investors to expand the growing of yams and reintroduce strawberry farming in the constituency.

Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy in South Trelawny and crops grown in the area include yams, bananas and corn.

“Right now I have an overseas investor lined up to invest about $50 million into the growing of strawberries while other investors are looking at setting up agro-processing plants,” McDaniel said.

He explained that shortly after he decided to enter representational politics over a year ago, he began holding talks with several investors with a view to have them pump funds in the constituency.

“I knew that I would become the next member of parliament so I took the decision to meet with the investors from before I was elected,” McDaniel commented. He added that now that he has been elected, the investors are willing to come and set up businesses in the constituency.

Also among McDaniel’s list of things to do during his first term in office are plans to expand the sports programme, which he started last year, to include cricket, netball and volley ball. He also wants to broaden the cultural offerings available to the young people in the community.

“The youth in the constituency will also be given a chance to participate in a number of planned cultural activities, so that their talents can be unearthed,” he added.

At 30, McDaniel is one of the island’s youngest MPs. He defeated the incumbent MP, Doreen Chen of the People’s National Party (PNP) by more than 1,000 votes in Wednesday’s general elections.

Meanwhile, PNP member of parliament elect for North Trelawny, Patrick Harris said that during his first term in office, he will focus his attention on providing “every household” with water in addition to seeing to the beautification of Falmouth.

Shortly after he was declared the winner of the seat, Harris told the Observer that he was humbled by the victory.

He pledged to do his best to develop the constituency and called on the losing JLP candidate, Christopher Jobson, to work with him for the betterment of the constituency.