(CMR) Local attorney and business owner Samuel “Sammy” Jackson (51) has declared his candidacy for the much-anticipated race in the district of Red Bay taking on the Premier and leader of the Progressives Alden McLaughlin.
Many worried that the premier could possibly go unchallenged as no one had yet expressed a serious interest in running in the sub-section of George Town. However, Jackson a seasoned attorney and businessman has heard the call of “desperate people” in that constituency and across the Cayman Islands. He shared that:
“I have decided to run for office in the Red Bay district because a number of folks who live and vote in that area have made representations to me that they would like if I could represent them – since it seemed that the Premier would otherwise go unchallenged for his seat – and they felt that they really have no representation.”
There is a sense through the district that they remain largely unrepresented with the premier not a constituency office which the Cabinet Office had provided some $5,000 monthly for. One voter noted that it’s a shame that both Prospect and Red Bay have nowhere for the voters to go to attend to their needs or meet with them. He is one of the few MPs in the Cayman Islands with no constituency office. His bordering counterpart Councilor Austin Harris likewise has no office.
The feeling that they have no real representative is one of the things that Jackson says he will change.
Jackson remains focused on the challenges facing many including the economy, crime, traffic and lack of public green spaces to improve the general quality of life across the islands. He has also highlighted the numerous issues that MP McLaughlin failed at during the past four years including the cruise port fiasco and Smith Barcadere.
Jackson stressed that he is a principled man that is “not for sale” and once who had committed many years to improving the lives of others in the communities across Grand Cayman. The 26-year legal veteran started his professional career with the Cayman Island’s Legal Department doing both criminal and civil work before going into private practice for himself.
He has served on a number of government and statutory boards during his professional career including the Immigration Appeals Tribunal where he served as a member and deputy chairman between 2002 and 2004. He was also the director of the Health Services Board from 2005 to 2007. In May 2007 he was appointed as the chairman of the Information Technology and Communications Authority. Jackson played a pivotal role as legal counsel for the Cayman Islands Government during the license negotiations with CUC to revamp their agreement.
Jackson is a committed family man originally from West Bay is with five children and resides in GTN and his an animal lover.