Rural Development Programme officially launched in Chambers Pen

Posted on June 27, 2022

Community to benefit from J$223m upgrade

CHAMBERS PEN, Hanover: The Rural Development Programme has been officially launched in Chambers Pen, Western Hanover.

The community, which is the pilot, will benefit from a J$223 million upgrade to infrastructure as well as human capacity building.

“It is your project, make use of it. I want you to value your ax dollar because at the end of the day, the success or failure of this project will depend on the community of Chambers Pen,” said Honourable Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, in his charge to residents during the launch ceremony on June 22.

The Ministry is spearheading the Rural Development Programme introduced last year and is designed to give new life to rural communities over the next two years.

The works scheduled for Chambers Pen include the installation of water and electrical infrastructure, internet access, roads, sidewalks, community parks and indigent housing.

The Minister also shared that the community was chosen as the pilot project based on the findings of a Social Development Commission (SDC) study.

“I commissioned the SDC to conduct a study on six communities’ in six parishes across the island and when we go the findings on Chambers Pen. I took the decision that the community would be the pilot in the new thrust for urban and rural development.”

The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) will be responsible for the wiring 300 households for electricity, and more than 50,000 gallons of water will be made available through the implementation of the Chambers Pen Water Supply System through the Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL).

The electrification phase is set to begin by month end. The Chambers Pen Primary School and the Chambers Pen Community Centre will also undergo renovations and streetlights installed.

Minister McKenzie said the project will be undertaken in a transparent manner.

“I am not going to allow anybody to question or cast any doubt about the credibility of this programme. We went through the process, we put out the packages for tendering, all the tenders came in, the Ministry conducted its own process, Rural Water conducted their own process [and] JSIF did the same,” he maintained.

“This is a Government that has to operate and follow the guidelines that are set. We want to be transparent; we want to be clear when we are spending taxpayers’ money – when we are spending your money.”

He also announced that four social housing units is earmarked for construction in the community as part of the first phase of the Rural Development Programme.

Farm tools were also donated to some farmers in the Chambers Pen community during the launch event.

Cheswick in St. Thomas is the next community scheduled to benefit under the Rural Development Programme.

Infirmaries to resume accepting new residents in July

Posted on June 13, 2022June 14, 2022

The Government after two years, will be removing the absolute ban on new admissions to infirmaries across the island effective Friday, July 1.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, made the disclosure while addressing the homeless wellness day of care at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay, St. James, on Friday, June 10.

“Every infirmary now has long lists of persons waiting to be admitted or waiting to take a place in the facilities. I know that the wait has been long, but I am pleased to make the announcement…that commencing July 1, we will now open our infirmaries to accept new residents to the facilities,” Mr. McKenzie stated.

The State in 2020, had prohibited new admissions to the island’s 16 infirmaries as a measure to contain the spread of COVID-19 and protect the 1100 residents that currently reside in the facilities.

The Minister, however, indicated that although “we are now reopening the doors,” it will be done under certain conditions and guidelines.

“Each person who will apply for consideration will have to be fully vaccinated. They will have to have a COVID-19 test done prior to entering the facility. They will be placed in isolation for whatever period the isolation lasts for and then after they finished the isolation, then they will take one more COVID test and once they have passed that they will be admitted to the infirmary,” he explained.

Mr. McKenzie however informed that there will continue to be restricted access regarding visitation, as the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing.

He pointed out that since the onset of the pandemic, only 17 residents within infirmaries have lost their lives to COVID-19.

“I want to commend the workers in the infirmaries, especially here in Montego Bay and all over, for a job well done,” the Minister said.

Scores of the persons turned out for the homeless wellness day of care that was held under the theme, ‘A Day of Care & Social Services for the Homeless’.

The many men and women were fed, as well as treated to a day of health and wellness from the various State agencies.

Among the participating entities included the parish’s Poor Relief Department, St. James Public Health Services, St. James Municipal Corporation, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Legal Aid Council, Social Development Commission, National Solid Waste Management Authority and the Jamaica Fire Brigade.

A beneficiary of the day, Michael Sadler, said it is always a good sign when the needs of the poor are being taken care of.

“They are now being considered and that’s the best thing to be done at this time. So, once they are being seen and improvements are being made [for them], together we can achieve and totally eradicate homeless people from our country.  So, I’m seeing a step forward in regard to doing that,” Mr. Sadler noted.

Board of Supervision lauded for its welfare of the vulnerable

Posted on June 7, 2022June 14, 2022

The Board of Supervision (BOS) has been lauded for its efficiency and innovation in addressing the evolving needs of the vulnerable population.

“The welfare of our vulnerable citizens, from the outdoor poor to the residents in our Infirmaries, increased in importance during the height of the COVID pandemic. The work of the Board of Supervision in successfully managing the care of our brothers and sisters, cannot be overstated,” said Honourable Desmond McKenzie.

“In the last financial year, the BOS continued to ensure that infirmary care was delivered in the strictest sanitary environment to achieve optimum infection prevention and control. Eighty-five percent of all residents were vaccinated. Visits remained suspended, as were admissions of new residents. The effectiveness of the BOS’ work paved the way for the temporary resumption of visits to the Infirmaries in January this year.”

The BOS is a statutory body within the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development that is charged with the welfare of indoor and outdoor clients within the Poor Relief System and the wider society. Indoor client are those residents who live in the island’s Infirmaries.

 

Care for the Outdoor Poor/Infirmaries

The Portfolio Minister also noted that he is most happy about the work to make the Infirmaries places of dignity, where residents experience modern standards of care and enhanced quality of life.

“Since January 2021, four physiotherapists and three dieticians have been added to the service structure of the Board of Supervision. Safety has been increased through specialist training in the movement of physically-challenged residents. Nutritional integrity has been improved through a revised diet plan approved by the BOS.”

Through a partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, hospitals are being relieved of its social cases. Social cases account for approximately 300 hospital bed spaces, and the BOS has already relocated 45 persons into more appropriate care facilities such as the Golden Age Home.

There are also continuous collaborations with entities such as Food for the Poor and the National Health Fund, which provided wheelchairs, personal protective equipment, and other essential items for improved service delivery in the Infirmaries.

Additionally:

• Three Therapeutic Parks were completed at the Manchester, St. Mary and Trelawny Infirmaries.
• Two new kitchens were built at the Hanover and Manchester Infirmaries.
• The new J$58.2 million Female Ward at the Manchester Infirmary was completed and is now occupied.
• The Matron’s Quarters at the Westmoreland Infirmary were completed at a cost of J$7.6m.
• Works at the Portland and St. James Infirmaries were completed at a cost of J$45m and J$32.5m respectively.
• The new Male Ward at the Westmoreland Infirmary, which is being built at a cost of $41 million, is almost completed.
• The new Administrative Building at the St. Elizabeth Infirmary, construction of which cost J$21 million, was completed and is now occupied.

Jamaicans being urged to be vigilant against streetlight theft

Posted on June 7, 2022June 14, 2022

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Honourable Desmond McKenzie, is urging Jamaicans to be vigilant against streetlight theft.

“We have the breakdown of where the thefts have occurred from parish to division. Unscrupulous people are preying on the network, all over the country. In the last financial year, 723 streetlights were stolen and the JPS spent US$303,660 or over J$47 million to replace them,” he shared during his 2022/2023 Sectoral Presentation under the theme ‘Leading the rural transformation drive, as Jamaica emerges from COVID-19”.

“While it is clear that these criminal acts require a police response, it is not possible for the Constabulary to be on every road to address this issue. The streetlights are being stolen on the main roads, and within urban and rural communities. I call on residents everywhere to be vigilant, and to help to prevent the highways and byways being plunged into darkness.”

The average cost of replacing one streetlight is US$420 and incidents of theft have been reported in all 14 parishes.

According to the Ministry’s data, the Chesterfield Main Road in St. Andrew is the site of repeated thefts. Some 32 lights along with 3,200 metres of service wire were stolen on three separate occasions. They were replaced three times at a cost of nearly US$50,000.

“The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) is reporting that lights along the Chesterfield Main Road have been stolen for a fourth time, and that it will cost US$16,000 to replace them. The second example is the Hellshire Main Road in St. Catherine, where 15 lights and 1,500 metres of service wire were stolen all at once on one night. These lamps and wires were replaced at a cost of US$7,800,” added Minister McKenzie.

He emphasized that meaningful investment in physical infrastructure must include the maintenance and expansion of the country’s network of streetlights. This approach is also hinged on value for money.

In the last financial year, the JPS billed the Government J$2.9 billion for the provision of streetlights, and the bill was paid in full. The light and power company was paid an average of J$243m monthly to provide this service.

“The reality remains however, that not all the streetlights are working, and the Local Authorities and the citizens who fall within their jurisdictions all over the country, deserve better,” the Minister stated.

“As had been promised to this House in my last presentation, I have been meeting, along with Ministry officials with the JPS to resolve a wide range of issues, and the consultations are continuing. In the last financial year, the company installed 725 new streetlights, which was 358 short of the installation target of 1,083.”

A total of 13,575 streetlights were repaired between April 2021 and March 2022.

Fire Station for Ulster Spring, Trelawny – Govt to increase pace of building out new stations

Posted on June 2, 2022April 29, 2025

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Honourable Desmond McKenzie, will break ground for a new fire station in Ulster Spring, Trelawny on June 17.-This move is part of the Government’s thrust to increase the pace of building out new fire stations for the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) to meet the needs of the evolving population.  Since 2016, the Administration has invested approximately J$5.74 billion in equipment and infrastructural development.

“The Government is determined to ensure that through the restoration of current stations and the building of new ones; the Jamaica Fire Brigade will feature an efficient network of fire stations that will provide a rapid response to any emergencies that arise. Such a network will also require sufficient personnel, and I am heartened to report that a new batch of 90 firefighters commenced training exercises in February this year,” stated Minister McKenzie.

“Fire Brigade personnel perform among other duties, inspections of buildings, and are part of the multi-agency assessment teams that carry out the development approvals process. To raise additional revenue, in order to further revitalize the Fire Brigade, we are examining the levying of a fee on new construction projects that exceed a prescribed height. I will say more about this at another time.”

Three new stations were earmarked for construction under the Jamaica Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project in Yallahs, Montego Bay and Port Maria. The new facility at Barnett Street in Montego Bay, St. James was officially opened on May 13 after significant construction challenges.

“This is a major development for the city of Montego Bay, especially when it is remembered that in 2016, when this Administration was elected, the Fire Station in Montego Bay had been closed for 7 years,” the Minister added during his presentation to the House of Representatives on May 25.

“Work is also far advanced on the Yallahs Fire Station in St. Thomas, and I expect to officially open it in this financial year. The Port Maria Fire Station is expected to be completed by the end of May, and I am also looking forward to opening this brand-new station shortly.”

Minister McKenzie also shared that during the 2021/2022 financial year, work was undertaken to complete the Old Harbour Fire Station in St. Catherine at a cost of $59.9 million, which was opened officially handed over on April 19.

Phase One of the Infrastructure Development Programme involved the rehabilitation of the Black River Fire Station at a cost of J$30m. Phase 2, which started in November 2021, is being implemented at a cost J$38.7 million.

“As the Government continues to invest significant sums to improve the infrastructure of the JFB, I want to say from the floor of this House, a huge thank you to the firefighters in the field, and to the administrative staff who provide critical support.”