M.P. FOR ST. MICHAEL WEST CENTRAL

The Hon. James Paul was brought up in the close-knit urban village of Goodland-Deacons Road and as a result appreciates the power of the community spirit and the strength of social organizations.

He is a graduate of St. Leonard’s Boys School and the University of the West Indies. Through hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude to life, he has used education to propel him to the top of his chosen careers and to enable him to give something back to society. He brings to politics a passion centered on his commitment to the revitalization of communities, optimum use of the given resources and the fair distribution of the surplus value created by hard work.

James Paul believes that the wealth of a nation lies in the land. Hence he has devoted much of his life to looking after the interests of the farming community. As the Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society – one of the country’s most active, non-governmental institutions – he has constantly lobbied for a return to agriculture using modern technology. His powerful message is that Barbados should target the agricultural sector as a means of enhancing the health and wealth of the nation. He believes that Barbados needs to produce more wholesome and nutritious food in an effort to achieve food security and save vital foreign exchange.

For him, another means of creating wealth and employment from limited resources is the cooperative movement. He has been one of the key players in this popular grassroots movement and has served as Director of the City of Bridgetown Co-operative Credit Union Ltd.

His stewardship as the Parliamentary Representative for St. Michael West Central has been outstanding. First, he has clearly identified the areas of greatest need as:

• The decline in the housing infrastructure.
• The upkeep of the road network within the constituency.
• The lack of adequate and appropriate employment opportunities for school leavers.
• The dearth of programmes to strengthen communities.
• The inability of the welfare services to fully address the needs of the disadvantaged.
• The failure to use sports as a tool for empowering young people.

Since 2008 he has succeeded in channelling resources from Government and the private sector to address all these issues. He has worked closely with the Urban Development Commission to improve housing; and with other Government agencies to improve roads and sports facilities in his constituency. However, his greatest achievement is the change in the mind-set of the man in the street away from increasing dependence on Government towards collective self-help. For example, he has succeeded in getting more young people aware of the many social and economic benefits of sports and increased their participation by organizing road tennis, football and cricket tournaments throughout the constituency.

With his family and community behind him, James Paul is willing and able to step up his campaign to empower the people of his constituency. He and his Party need your support in order to complete the job of creating a Better Barbados.

Contact the Candidate
Constituency Office (246) 425-9767
Email smwestcentral@hotmail.com