Dear Editor,The year 2020 is arguably the most difficult year since Independence.

This year we have seen some great Members of Parliament who were rewarded in this general election. As well, they are some lazy Members of Parliament who were booted out of Parliament by the people.

If we had an award for Member of Parliament for the year, I believe out of the 63 sitting in the Lower House three names would be called the most for nomination. They are Juliet Holness, Ann-Marie Vaz, and Pearnel Charles Jr.

Consistency-wise, for the entire year St Andrew East Rural Member of Parliament Juliet Holness and Portland Eastern Member of Parliament Ann-Marie Vaz are tied in first place for me. Both had an exceptional year as working representatives. Holness has turned a battleground seat into a Jamaica Labour Party seat now. Ann-Marie Vaz turned a People’s National Party fortress into a Jamaica Labour Party stronghold.

Last, but not least, is Pearnel Charles Jr. Elected first in the month of March, he’s clearly the breakthrough Member of Parliament of the year. I believe if he had been the Member of Parliament from the start of this year he could’ve been declared hands down Member of Parliament for the year. His constituents know him as a man of action. He turned a Jamaica Labour Party-leaning seat back into a fortress. He and St Catherine South Western Member of Parliament Everald Warmington are the only representatives to get over 10,000 votes in a low voter turnout election. Pearnel Charles Jr even became the first candidate in the constituency of Clarendon South Eastern to go over this mark.

I hope these three Members of Parliament keep up the good work and that others will next year try to follow in their footsteps.

Special mention must be given to seven other hard-working Members of Parliament for 2020: Zavia Mayne, Dr Nigel Clarke, Mark Golding, Alando Terrelonge, Julian Robinson, Everald Warmington, and Frank Witter.

Teddylee Gray

Ocho Rios, St Ann

teddylee.gray@gmail.com