MONTEGO BAY, St James – Opposition Leader Bruce Golding is expected to name a new Jamaica Labour Party shadow cabinet within the next week.

Speaking to reporters shortly after the party’s central executive meeting at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Montego Bay on Sunday, Karl Samuda, the party’s general secretary said the review of the party’s shadow cabinet is almost complete and an announcement will be made within another few days.

“Mr Golding has indicated in his presentation (to the central executive) that the long-awaited review of the shadow cabinet is expected soon, and it is expected that within a few days the new shadow cabinet will be announced,” said Samuda.

Golding later told the Observer that the unveiling of his new shadow cabinet will coincide with the naming of a new party representative to replace him in the Senate.

Golding, who was appointed a senator in 2002, resigned from the Upper House in March to contest the West Kingston seat left vacant in January by the party’s former leader Edward Seaga.

In the by-election, which followed in April, Golding trashed the People’s National Party’s Bunny Witter by more than 7,000 votes, earning him the right to represent the constituency.

The JLP leader polled 8,225 votes to Witter’s 1,079.

On Sunday, Golding who was appointed leader of the JLP in February, after flirting with the National Democratic Movement (NDM) gave no hint as to who is likely to replace him as senator, nor did he indicate what the composition of the new shadow cabinet would be.

Meanwhile, Samuda told the Observer that the party was pleased with the findings of the islandwide constituency audits that commenced in March.

“We are quite encouraged by the outcome of the audits and it was done in a very transparent manner, in a manner that is consistent with the level of organisation that we intend to undertake over the next 18 months,” the party’s general secretary said.

He added, however, that the party was taking an in-depth look at some of the findings of the audits, and will be taking the necessary steps to strengthen those areas where weaknesses are detected.

“The reports that have come in so far indicate that as an organisation we will need to examine in depth some of the findings with a view to strengthen those areas where we detect some weakness,” he said.

According to Samuda, the audits are geared to put the party in a state of readiness for the next general election, which are constitutionally due in 2007.

“We are in the second half of the PNP government’s term of office and so we need to look with greater sharpness, in terms of our own preparedness,” he said. He added that by November all the party’s candidates will be in place.

– cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com