KINGSTON, Jamaica — A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to raise US$10,000 to assist Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) Senator Damion Crawford in his bid to become Member of Parliament (MP) for East Portland.

Crawford will be contesting the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) standard-bearer Ann-Marie Vaz in the upcoming by-election.

The seat became vacant following the gruesome murder of Dr Lynvale Bloomfield, who was stabbed to death at his home in Passley Gardens in Portland on February 2.

Crawford was confirmed on Monday by the PNP’s executive to represent the party against Vaz.

The campaign, which was created today by “Friends of Damion Crawford” and was shared by Crawford on Twitter, has raised US$910 so far.

“Please consider making a contribution to my efforts in the by election,” the senator tweeted.

Crawford represented the neighbouring St Andrew East Rural constituency in the House of Representatives between 2012 and 2016 and served as junior minister of state for tourism and entertainment.

He did not seek re-election in 2016 and has since served as a member of the Upper House and the party’s spokesman on youth. He won the vice-presidency of the PNP in September 2018, amassing the largest number of delegate votes.

The senator is also a lecturer in marketing at the Mona School of Business, University of the West Indies, Mona, a businessman and a partner in the egg company Crafton Holdings, which won last year’s Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association Awards for best new manufacturer as well as the Buy Jamaican Award.