Bruce Golding will not seek re-election to parliament

Jamaica’s former prime minister Bruce Golding (pictured), will not seek another term in Parliament representing the patchwork of impoverished neighborhoods in West Kingston.

Officials in the governing Jamaica Labor Party confirmed Sunday that Golding will not run for re-election. Delegates have picked Kingston Mayor Desmond McKenzie as his replacement in the gritty district.

Golding shocked many Jamaicans when he announced in late September that he was giving up his post as head of the party and prime minister. He had been Jamaica’s prime minister since 2007.

Labor Party lawmakers unanimously chose 39-year-old lawmaker Andrew Holness as their party’s leader, and he automatically became prime minister. He was sworn in last month.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.