KINGSTON, Jamaica — Member of Parliament (MP) for Clarendon South East, the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Rudyard ‘Ruddy’ Spencer, is headed to the Jamaican mission in Germany as he walks away from Parliament.

The Jamaica Observer has confirmed that Spencer is to tender his resignation before the end of this week.

JLP sources last night said this was part of a deal brokered by JLP leader, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, to prevent an internal feud over who is to represent the party in Clarendon South Eastern and Clarendon North Central, where the 84-year-old Pearnel Charles Sr is also expected to walk away from representational politics.

Pearnel Charles Jr and Parliamentary Secretary Robert Morgan had both expressed an interest in replacing Charles Sr in the next general election, sparking a row that at times became tense.

Last October the Observer first reported the move to replace the two veteran MPs with the young politicians who both sit in the Senate.

At that time JLP sources had told the Observer that the party’s general secretary Dr Horace Chang had arranged the deal to prevent what was shaping up to be a bitter battle over who is to replace Charles Sr.

“This seems like Dr Chang has pulled off a major coup and has prevented any fallout in a constituency we have to retain if we are to continue to form the government after the next general election,” a JLP insider had reported.

“It was clear Pearnel wanted his son to replace him but there are Labourities in the constituency saying ‘no more Charles’. In addition Nesta is a youth from the constituency with family members still living there, so he is accepted as one of their own.

“And it is not a bad move to replace Ruddy (Rudyard Spencer), who is a union man, with the son of one of the island’s greatest union leaders in south east.  It is also a constituency which has produced two prime ministers (Sir Alexander) Bustamante and (Hugh) Shearer, so it is a good seat for a young man going places,” added the JLP insider at that time.

Arthur Hall