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TWO senior members of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) have suggested that should Jamaica's minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, Kamina Johnson Smith become the next secretary general of the Commonwealth, a push should be made to have current Jamaica Ambassador to the United States Audrey Marks replace her.Both seniors asked that their identities not be revealed by the Jamaica Observer in interviews last week as they did not want to pre-empt anything that Prime Minister Andrew Holness would feel inclined to do should the Jamaican legislator get the nod in the frosty rush for the post that, so far, also involves the incumbent, Baroness Patricia Scotland who is Dominican-born and was raised in Britain."At this stage, and as more days go by, it seems that Kamina could become the next secretary general of the Commonwealth, and that would create a space in the Senate and in the Cabinet," one said. "To me, the best person to become foreign affairs minister is the woman that we have in Washington now representing Jamaica's interest, and that is Audrey Marks. If the right moves are made she could return home and assume a post that will make it good for Jamaica."The other JLP senior agreed with his colleague, saying that the ground Marks has covered in the period since she has served as Jamaica's ambassador to the United States has placed her in a special position to drive the island's foreign policy, should a vacancy arise."I believe that Ambassador Marks would be ideally suited to be appointed as minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade if Mrs Johnson Smith gets enough support from the 54-member Commonwealth group of nations to land her the job of secretary general," said the former parliamentarian."I see where countries within the Commonwealth like India, England, Australia, Canada and New Zealand are leaning towards Jamaica's candidate. The president of Rwanda is visiting Jamaica next [this] week. Rwanda is hosting the meeting when the selection is made in June. Do you think that no discussion will be held with Mr Holness and the president on the matter?"So if the big, powerful and richer countries in the Commonwealth are supporting the Jamaican candidate, and if we can get the African countries to be on Jamaica's side, then Kamina should win, a vacancy will be created - because she cannot be Commonwealth secretary general and minister at the same time. That is where Audrey Marks could come in," he said.A four-year term victory by Johnson Smith in the vote by Commonwealth heads of government on June 20 would usher her in as the seventh secretary general of the Commonwealth, and the third from the Caribbean behind Guyanese Sir Shridath, with the second being Baroness Scotland.The job of secretary general, which was created in 1965, pays 160,000 pounds (about $33 million) per annum, according to Wikipedia, which it notes is a 2015 figure. The usually reliable site also noted that the secretary general is provided with a four-storey house in London, its headquarters, as well as other incentives.Johnson Smith now earns around $6.8 million as her government salary.Asked by the Sunday Observer about the possible elevation of state minister for foreign affairs, Senator Leslie Campbell to replace Johnson Smith should she succeed in the diplomatic role, one of the elders said that Campbell's inexperience would not suit the Administration, although, he said, his knowledge of law would be a plus."Yes, Leslie could do a job, but if you really want a champion of a person, it would have to be Audrey," the JLP man said.Marks, a St Mary-born and raised businesswoman who first served as ambassador to the US from 2010 to 2012, and again from 2016 to present, has been credited with driving Jamaica's interests positively in the world's largest economy.