BREAKING: Labour & Social Security Minister Shahine Robinson Dies at age 66

Labour and Social Security Minister, Shahine Robinson is dead. Minister Robinson died at her home in Claremont St. Ann today.

Shahine Elizabeth Fakhourie Robinson who is the Member of Parliament for North East St. Ann passed away at age 66.

Mrs. Robinson was born on July 3, 1953.

It was previously reported that the Social Security Minister Robinson was “fighting” after falling gravely ill days ago amid a long battle with cancer, a niece of Robinson’s said.

Shahine Robinson catapulted to political stardom in the March 2001 by-election in the then PNP stronghold of North-East St. Ann.

She’s revered by members and supporters of the JLP because that famous by-election victory marked the beginning of the revival of the party’s political fortunes. In March 2001, it had languished in the political wilderness for 13 years.

Shahine, as she’s popularly called, pulled off a stunning victory. The PNP had a lock on North East St. Ann. It was considered safe PNP territory.

But her upset win signaled for many labourites a turning of the tide in the JLP’s now successful pushback against almost 2-decades of political dominance by the PJ Patterson-led PNP juggernaut.

She was tapped by then JLP Leader, Edward Seaga to work in North East St. Ann when the party’s then-candidate, Michael Belnavis, took leave of absence.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of the then MP Danny Melville.

She defeated the PNP’s Carol Jackson and went on to transform North East St. Ann into a safe seat today for the JLP.

When Edward Seaga retired from politics in 2005, during his final speech to the Jamaican Parliament, an emotional Seaga paid tribute to Mrs. Robinson and Andrew Holness who’s now the country’s Prime Minister.