By Glenroy Sinclair,
Staff Reporter
DR. RAYMOTH Notice, medical officer of health in the Correctional Service Department, yesterday resigned from the public service in preparation for a bid at representational politics.
He told The Gleaner that he would be challenging K.D. Knight, the incumbent Member of Parliament for St. Catherine East Central and Minister of National Security and Justice, on behalf of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the next general election.
Knight has been the MP for that constituency since 1989 and, according to Dr. Notice, he "has served well."
"But there comes a time in a man's life when he should be proud to take unto himself the role of a granddad and reflect on his successes and failures from the vantage point of his rocking chair," he said.
In his letter of resignation to the Correctional Services Department, Dr. Notice said his aim throughout his life was to serve his fellow men and fellow women.
"I pledge whole heartedly to continue doing so. My tenure with the department was challenging but enjoyable," he said.
The 40-year-old Dr. Notice, who blew the whistle on the mass beating of more than 300 inmates at the St. Catherine district prison in May last year, has served as medical doctor at the island's penal institutions for over six years. Prior to his resignation he was in charge of the Tamarind Farm Prison and Fort Augusta Women's Prison in St. Catherine.
Responding to questions about his relationship with Lt. Col. John Prescod, as head of the Correctional Services, and whether he had quit under pressure, Dr. Notice said: "Colonel Prescod is a nice person. I am not doing this because of his vindictiveness. I have no problem with his being ignorant about some things."
He described his decision to enter representational politics as a move in support of Jamaican youth. Dr. Notice pointed to a series of incidents in which scores of poor youth have treated with disrespect, killed and brutalised by the police.
Asked how ready he was for an election campaign, he said: "Emotionally and spiritually I am ready. It is the will of the people to now extend the winning mode."
