KINGSTON, Jamaica - Former Member of Parliament for Eastern Portland Headley Samuel 'Sam' Lawrence died suddenly yesterday morning, only hours after he made his final trek to the all-important function of his beloved People's National Party (PNP) - a meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC).
Lawrence, who was in his 70s, died after he fell ill and was rushed to the Port Antonio Hospital in the parish he has called home for many years.
One of the new candidates who were ushered into Gordon House on the tide of the PNP's popularity in 1989, which gave Michael Manley his second stint and third term as prime minister, Lawrence was well-known for his candour - some even described him as a maverick of sorts.