‘Joan Spencer was no ordinary councillor’

Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie has paid tribute to Joan Spencer, saying the late councillor dedicated her life to giving service to her people.

Spencer, councillor for the Seaforth division in the St Thomas Municipal Corporation, died at her home on Tuesday.

"Joan Spencer was no ordinary councillor. She carried loyalty and devotion to her division, to the Municipal Corporation and to the people of St Thomas, to a higher level," McKenzie said. "She helped many, many people as she passed along. Her living was not in vain."

Spencer is the second councillor at the St Thomas Municipal Corporation to have died within a year. Last October, former mayor Lenworth Rawle and councillor of the Trinityville division died after a brief illness. He, like Spencer, was elected on a Jamaica Labour Party ticket.

Spencer had been councillor since 1998. She served as mayor of Morant Bay between 2003 and 2007. McKenzie said her death was unexpected.

"I am totally shocked and devastated. This is a thunderbolt out of nowhere. I know that Councillor Spencer was not feeling well recently, and had spent the last few days in hospital. She was discharged from the hospital this afternoon and had returned home. Shortly after that, she felt unwell and suddenly passed away there. Her departure was completely unexpected," McKenzie said.