Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke ends stint midnight Tuesday, heads to IMF

Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke says he will be resigning as Member of Parliament for St Andrew North Western at midnight Tuesday, ending his stint as the country's finance minister. 

He made the announcement in a farewell address at a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) rally in his constituency this evening.

"...I leave the playing field effective midnight tomorrow night...," he said before thanking Prime Minister Andrew Holness for appointing him to the top post.

The Government announced in August that Clarke will be leaving the administration to take up one of four deputy managing director posts at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on October 31.

All eyes are now on Prime Minister Holness for the new finance minister.

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Holness had announced in August that Clarke's successors as MP and finance minister have been identified.

Duane Smith, a councillor in the constituency, has been selected to replace Clarke as the JLP's representative for the constituency.

Meanwhile, Holness has paid tribute to Clarke, who has been MP and a Cabinet minister since March 2018. 

"Nigel provided a critical skill in the management of the technical area of change. I don't think that there is anyone in Jamaica who could question the technical competence of Nigel Clarke in managing the economic affairs and transforming Jamaica's economic prospects," he said. 

Holness said he considered that it is a "distinct honour" to have a JLP member, Clarke, sought after for an international position.