Duncan

HE GREW up in the adjoining communities of Shortwood and Barbican, St Andrew, as an aspiring footballer and after 35 years in the United States, Michael Duncan is now looking forward to unseating 51-year-old Democrat, James Saunders Jr, in New York City Council elections next Tuesday.

Duncan is challenging for the leadership of the 31st Council District, which includes areas, such as Rosedale, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, the Rockaways, parts of Cambria Heights and South Ozone Parksoung.

"If victorious, I intend to work closer and strengthen the various Jamaican organisations in New York, so they can do more for the poor neighbourhoods in Jamaica," Duncan told The Gleaner yesterday.

Life and family

He wants to influence the business relationship in the council, so it can have a positive spin-off on Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Duncan has lived in south east Queens since 1995 with his wife, Sophie, and their four children. He attended Baruch College where he attained a bachelor's in business administration.

Information on the changenyc.org website described him as a tireless community person. He was named chief of staff to the 31st Council District, where he had to manage all the communities mentioned above.

Duncan has always been involved in community affairs and regularly attends civic and community board meetings.

For the last 15 years, he has been a very active parent leader in the public-school system, having served as parent-teacher associa-tion president at PS 195, IS 231, and George Washington Carver High School for the Sciences and as vice-president of the president's council in District 29.

Over 15 years ago, Duncan revived the Rosedale Soccer Club for youths from ages of five to 19. The programme is designed to help the youth build character through sports. He also founded a non-profit organisation that offers free immigration and income-tax services to the residents of south east Queens.