THE Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) last night confirmed that veteran Member of Parliament Karl Samuda has resigned as the party’s treasurer.

General Secretary of the JLP Dr Horace Chang, in a brief statement, confirmed that Samuda had tendered a letter of resignation from his elected position as treasurer of the party to party leader Andrew Holness.

Dr Chang said that in discussions with him yesterday, Samuda explained that he has been contemplating, for some time now, the need to refocus his attention on his portfolio, his constituency of North Central St Andrew, and other areas of organisation within the party.

Samuda, who is also the JLP’s shadow minister of industry, investment, commerce, mining, and energy, and was a strong supporter of Holness in last year’s leadership election which he easily won over his finance spokesman Audley Shaw.

Chang also confirmed last night that Leslie Campbell, the current deputy treasurer, will act as treasurer until the party meets to elect a replacement for Samuda.

Campbell, an attorney at law, represented the JLP in the constituency of East Central St Catherine in the general election of 2007, but lost to Natalie Neita-Headley. He was also a member of the party’s electoral commission which gave oversight to last year’s leadership election.