Desmond A. McKenzie,
JP (born 1 December 1952) is a
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
n politician and former
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of the
Kingston and
Saint Andrew
Andrew the Apostle ( grc-koi, Ἀνδρέᾱς, Andréās ; la, Andrēās ; , syc, ܐܰܢܕ݁ܪܶܐܘܳܣ, ʾAnd’reʾwās), also called Saint Andrew, was an apostle of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is the brother of Simon Peter ...
Corporation (KSAC), who held office between July 2003 and January 2012, when he was elected as the
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for the constituency of
Kingston Western. He currently serves as the
Jamaica Labour Party
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party (PNP). While its name might suggest that it is a social democratic party (as is the case for "Labour" parties in seve ...
spokesman for urban renewal, rural development and local government.
Prior to that, McKenzie, served as a Junior Spokesman of the
Opposition
Opposition may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''Opposition'' (Altars EP), 2011 EP by Christian metalcore band Altars
* The Opposition (band), a London post-punk band
* ''The Opposition with Jordan Klepper'', a late-night television series on Comed ...
in the
Senate of Jamaica
The Parliament of Jamaica is the legislative branch of the government of Jamaica. It consists of three elements: The Crown (represented by the Governor-General), the appointed Senate and the directly elected House of Representatives.
The Se ...
in 2002 to 2003. He was a
councillor
A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries.
Canada
Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...
at
Denham Town
Denham Town is a predominantly residential neighbourhood in western Kingston, Jamaica. It has a reputation as one of Kingston's more violent areas. It was named in memory of Edward Brandis Denham, Governor of Jamaica 1935–1938.
Amenities
Th ...
from 1977 to 1984 and at
Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli Gardens, also known simply as Tivoli, is an amusement park and pleasure garden in Copenhagen, Denmark. The park opened on 15 August 1843 and is the third-oldest operating amusement park in the world, after Dyrehavsbakken in nearby Klampe ...
from 1990 to 2011.
Career
Desmond McKenzie gained national attention when he became the youngest Jamaican vested with the title of Mayor of Kingston,
the largest capital city in the English-speaking Caribbean. It was a position he held until he was elected as Member of Parliament for the
Kingston Western Constituency in the
2011 general election.
He also held positions as a former President of the Jamaica Labour Party's youth arm, Young Jamaica; Jamaica's representative on the Caribbean and the International Youth Council; and served as vice president of the World Conference of Mayors.
McKenzie is regarded as one of Jamaica's most active mayors, noted for his direct attitude towards stopping crime. When appointed, he was the youngest serving mayor in KSAC's history.
Personal life
Minister McKenzie is married to Marcia with three sons and two daughters. He lists his hobbies as collecting, selecting and playing music and cricket.
Awards & recognition
Minister McKenzie's outstanding and dedicated service to Local Government led to him being awarded the Order of Distinction in the Commander Class in 2008. He was also recognized by Rotary International with the Paul Harris Award and became CVM Television's Newsmaker of the Year in 2004.
References
2. https://opm.gov.jm/cabinet_ministers/desmond-mckenzie/ Office of the Prime Minister, Government of Jamaica. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
Mayors of Kingston, Jamaica
1952 births
Living people
Jamaica Labour Party politicians
Government ministers of Jamaica
Members of the 14th Parliament of Jamaica
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