The Hon. Karl Samuda is a businessman, farmer and a veteran politician.

The Minister attended Ardenne High School and received tertiary education in Canada, where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Ottowa. Steeped in the discipline of Business Administration, he returned to Jamaica and was employed to Alcan Jamaica Limited and Industrial Gases Limited before venturing into furniture manufacturing and later farming and real estate development.

He also serves on the Electoral Commission, having previously served an eight-year stint as a member of the Electoral Advisory Committee.

Minister Samuda is currently the General Secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party, Member of Parliament for St. Andrew, North Central since 1980 and has the distinction of representing both major political parties in that constituency. Having served as Minister of State in successive political administrations he was recently appointed Minister of the newly constituted Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce.

The Minister has been described as a no-nonsense individual with a passion for hard work and an insatiable appetite for success.

Minister Samuda is a proud family man with a beautiful wife and three sons.