JFBUrges Citizens To Desist From Making Prank Calls

Posted on February 27, 2025February 27, 2025

With an increase in the number of malicious false alarm calls in 2024, the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is once again urging Jamaicans to stop making prank calls to the emergency services.

Commissioner, JFB, Stewart Beckford, told JIS News that last year the JFB received 1,759 malicious false alarms, a 24.4 per cent increase when compared to the 1,413 calls received in 2023.

“The truth is that we continue to see these increases mainly because of the issues we have been experiencing with the bomb threat incidents that we have been responding to,” said Commissioner Beckford.

He noted that last year, the JFB responded to several bomb threats at schools, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies, ministries and agencies of government.

Commissioner Beckford also pointed out that the increase in prank calls is also prevalent during the summer months when children are out of school and more likely to use cell phones.

“There is a proliferation of cell phones, four [and] five-year-olds are carrying [them]. The truth is that a lot of these children, when they are home in the summer, if they are not occupied, they use these phones to call the fire brigade,” said Commissioner Beckford.

“While we encourage persons to give these children the phone so that in case there is a genuine emergency, they can call or they can contact you the parent, you must discourage them from using it to make calls that are not real,” he added.

The Fire Chief further emphasised that prank calls divert the JFB’s resources from real emergencies.

“It ties up valuable resources that could be deployed elsewhere. We have seen in the past where our units, either on its way to or returning from such a call that we thought was genuine, have been involved in accidents,” said Commissioner Beckford, noting that when this happens, some areas are left without fire coverage for an extended period.

The Commissioner informed that while Jamaica is not yet at a point where those who make such calls can be identified and prosecuted, a project is being worked on to remedy the situation.

“You will have one central number, and that system will be able to identify where callers are,” he said, adding that the system will also be helpful during genuine emergencies when a caller gets disconnected, as the location would be known.

 

CONTACT: SHANNA K. SALMON

MINISTER WANTS VENDORS TO BE IN NEW BUFF BAY MARKET BY AUGUST 6

Posted on February 24, 2025February 24, 2025

MORANT BAY, February 24 (JIS):

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, is eyeing the Independence period as a timeline for the completion and reopening of the Buff Bay market in Portland.

The Minister visited the facility recently, where he reminded that the market was one of those chosen to be renovated when Jamaica had celebrated its 50^th year.

“So, we want to see if in this year’s Independence, we will be able to fully open back the Buff Bay market for the use of vendors in this area,” Mr. McKenzie said.

He also revealed that phases one and two of the project have been completed. “We have demolished the whole structure which existed, and we have replaced it with a brand-new structure,” the Minister noted.

He said that phase three will “turn attention to the office of the market manager and complete the flooring”, while noting that an additional $25 million will be provided to the Portland Municipal Corporation to complete the renovation.

The Minister asked residents for their patience in the matter, as he pointed out that once completed, the market will be of a high standard with several new features.

Citing an example, he noted that recent fires affecting markets islandwide due to electrical short-circuit should not be a problem for the new Buff Bay market.

“When you look at this market, there will be no need for light because it is open and we have put in sky lights so this is one market we don’t have to worry about the cost of electricity and people stealing light to endanger the facility,” Mr. McKenzie said.

In the meantime, Member of Parliament for Portland Western and Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, stated that he was pleased with the progress of the market.

Mr. Vaz pointed to the “lots of fresh air” and the spacious and comfortable environment for the vendors.

“I think this is a model that we can use in other townships,” the Minister said.

 

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CONTACT: MICKELLA ANDERSON

JIS REGIONAL OFFICE

MORANT BAY

House Approves Bill to Grant Parish Status to Portmore

Posted on February 14, 2025

JIS  February 14, 2025,

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday (February 11), passed the Counties and Parishes (Amendment) Act, 2025, which seeks to grant parish status to the Portmore City Municipality, making it the 15th parish of Jamaica.

In his opening remarks, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said this is the first time in the history of post-colonial Jamaica that a new parish is being created.

He noted that parishes are the main unit of local government in Jamaica, having been created following the English settlement of the country in 1655.

The Minister informed that there were originally seven parishes, and by early 1867 that number increased to 22, adding that it was reduced by law in 1867 to create 14 parishes.

“Jamaica has had 14 parishes since May 1, 1867. Today, therefore, nearly 158 years later, we are beginning the process of giving formal recognition and further empowerment to the people of the largest community in the Caribbean,” Mr. McKenzie said.

“We are providing, through this Bill tabled in this House, the civic and the practical developmental opportunities that will allow Portmore to achieve this outstanding milestone,” he added.

The Minister further noted that passage of the Bill would increase the economic, social and political opportunities for the people of Portmore.

“This Administration diligently worked to change the total architecture of Jamaica into a fully modern economic, social and political country that our people here and abroad are proud to live in and proud to refer as their own,” he said.

Among the key provisions of the Bill is the official designation of Portmore as a parish, to include Hellshire Hills, Goat Island, and the City of Portmore, which will be the parish capital.

It excludes specific areas, such as Lakes Pen, Grange Lane, Lime Tree Grove, and Quarry Hill from the Parish of Portmore. The legislation also provides for the creation of a map for the parish of Portmore and a description of the city.

In his remarks, Member of Parliament for St. Catherine South Eastern, Robert Miller, in support of the Bill, said with Portmore becoming the 15th parish, it has the capacity to chart its own affairs, while adding that the “people of Portmore deserve quality representation”.

Following its passage in the Lower House, the legislation will now go to the Senate for its approval.

 

By Latonya Linton

JAMAICA’S EARTHQUAKE/TSUNAMI RESPONSE REMAINS ROBUST

Posted on February 11, 2025

KINGSTON, February 11 (JIS):

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), says Jamaica’s tsunami response protocol was triggered at the weekend.  However, it said data supplied by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not indicate a threat that warranted the issuance of a tsunami watch or warning.

The tsunami response protocol followed an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.21 miles), which occurred some 209 kilometres SSW of George Town, Cayman Islands, on Saturday (February 8).

There was concern that the quake would trigger a tsunami – which is a wave generated after a coastal earthquake.

Speaking to JIS News, Acting Director General at ODPEM, Richard Thompson, explained that any earthquake that takes place at sea has the potential to create waves that can be destructive if they hit the shoreline.

He noted that there are three types of tsunamis – localised, regional and distant.

“A localised tsunami would be one that the earthquake happened within our territorial waters, and it was large enough to generate a tsunami wave. For a regional tsunami, it would be a tsunami caused by an earthquake within the region, like within the Caribbean or within the Americas.

“And then you have tsunamis that are further afield, that can happen within the international space but are large enough to generate a tsunami wave that might affect areas outside of that geographic space,” he said.

Mr. Thompson explained that the type of tsunami anticipated determines the response from the ODPEM.

He noted that regional/distant tsunamis, which usually take hours to reach a country’s shoreline require a different response from a localised tsunami, which could see impact occurring within minutes of the earthquake that triggered it.

In a situation where there is the possibility that the island could be impacted by a regional tsunami, such as the case on February 8, the Acting Director General indicated that there are four levels in the national response protocol.

The first level involves the notification of relevant governmental stakeholders through a bulletin.

“Once we picked up the information from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center that there’s an earthquake in the region and that it has the potential to create a tsunami, the notification went out straight away to all the players in the process,” Mr. Thompson said.

“So, within that notification process, you’d have the ODPEM within its capacity at the National Tsunami Warning Centre and the head of the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). You have the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, which is the national focal point for tsunami warnings, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the local authorities, the port authorities, fisheries, the Ministries of Local Government and Health, and other agencies,” he noted further.

The second level in the process is the issuance of a tsunami advisory, followed by a tsunami watch, and finally, a tsunami warning.

The public would be notified at level 3 when the data from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirms that a tsunami was, in fact, generated.

“So, the notification on Saturday, those tsunami messages that we were getting, there was no information that a tsunami had been generated. The data indicated that an earthquake had happened and there was a possibility that it could generate a tsunami,” Mr. Thompson stressed.

He explained further that the authority with the responsibility to issue a tsunami warning for Jamaica is the ODPEM in conjunction with the Meteorological Service and supported by the JCF, after the assessment of data provided by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Mr. Thompson also noted that an all-clear bulletin was issued in keeping with the protocols once the possibility of a tsunami no longer existed.

“We take our messages from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and those come in the form of bulletins. The Center takes their data from tidal gauges that are in the ocean all over the world. The tidal gauges can give you real-time information. The Center processes data and then they send the information to each member state in the form of a tsunami bulletin. It is now the responsibility of the member state to process that bulletin based on the information that is given, to determine how best you respond,” he explained.

“So, they (the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center) don’t give a warning… and no other country can give a warning for a particular country,” he added.

The Acting Director General stressed that had it been warranted, the ODPEM would have issued a tsunami watch and subsequent warning, accompanied by evacuation notices and other relevant safety tips to citizens.

“We understand that the public always wants information, but if the situation does not reach the level where a tsunami has been generated, then there is really no need for a public advisory,” he added.

 

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CONTACT: DONIQUE WESTON

LOCAL GOV’T MINISTER UNDERSCORES KSAMC’S ROLE

Posted on February 7, 2025

KINGSTON, February 7 (JIS):

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says councillors and administrators of the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) have a vital role to play in the Corporate Area’s development and the delivery of services to residents.

“Your responsibility over the capital city, as well as townships and communities in urban and rural St. Andrew, is critical. As councillors and administrators, I am sure that you are seeing and feeling, not only the demands for various services for which you have responsibility but you are also realising on a daily basis that the expectations are rising. People are looking more to you, as their local representatives, to deliver,” Mr. McKenzie said.

He was addressing the KSAMC’s strategic planning workshop at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in Mona, St. Andrew, on Thursday (February 6).

Mr. McKenzie reminded the Corporation’s representatives that the Local Governance Act, particularly Section 21, outlines the specific area of responsibility for local authorities.

These include regulation of specific local economic and social activities; identifying, collecting and optimising revenue in order to finance operations; service delivery mandates, and developing and implementing local sustainable development plans.

Mr. McKenzie said strategic planning and urban development are critical areas that must be implemented for the smooth functioning of the Municipality.

“There are no winners or losers at the KSAMC. The winners are the people that elected you to serve, and I am glad, despite some hiccups here and there, that there is a clear direction of what is important, and what is important is the people that we represent [and] the service that we offer to the people. The importance of this approach is clearly defined in the Local Governance Act,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Minister McKenzie praised the KSAMC for organising the strategic workshop.

“I think what you are doing today and over the next two days speaks volumes to the vision that is required to move local government,” he said.

Mayor of Kingston and KSAMC Chairman, Councillor Andrew Swaby, said the workshop provided an opportunity for the participants to examine their operations, identify areas of weaknesses and strengths as well as commit to making the necessary changes.

“As the largest municipal corporation in Jamaica, KSAMC must lead by example. The way we manage Kingston and St. Andrew directly impacts the quality of life of our residents and the ease of doing business in our city.

“If Kingston is well-run, if our systems are efficient, if we deliver our services properly, it builds confidence in our governance and strengthens the city’s role in Jamaica’s economic and cultural capital. That is why we cannot afford to be complacent,” he said.

Councillor Swaby emphasised that planning and innovation are critical to delivering quality service.

“If we are serious about delivering quality service, we must have a business-minded approach to governance. Successful companies do not react to problems; they plan, adapt and innovate,” he said.

During the session, laptop computers were presented to councillors.

ATTORNEY GENERAL AND SOLICITOR GENERAL CLARIFY TIE AFTER BY-ELECTION

Posted on February 6, 2025

KINGSTON, February 6 (JIS):

A letter signed jointly by the Attorney General and the Solicitor General has advised that Clause 32 of the Local Governance Act clearly lays out what happens when a tie occurs after a by-election.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, has informed that their response states that: “Where there is a tie in the political representation following a by-election, the person who occupies the chair as chairperson before the by-election remains as the chairperson after the by-election.”

Additionally, Clause 19 of the Act states that the tenure of the chairperson of a municipal corporation lasts from one local government election to the next, and the only way in which that chairperson can be removed between islandwide local government election is if there is a no-confidence motion supported by the majority of all councillors in the municipality no sooner than 12 months after the date of the last local government election.

“With respect to the Clarendon Municipal Corporation, what this means in practice, therefore, is that the Chairman of the Municipal Corporation, His Worship the Mayor Councillor Joel Williams, continues as the Mayor; the Deputy Mayor of the Clarendon Municipal Corporation, Councillor Clive Mundle, remains as the deputy mayor,” he said.

Mr. McKenzie provided the legal advice from the Attorney General and Solicitor General regarding the stalemate that presently exists at the Clarendon Municipal Corporation following the by-election in the Aenon Town division last year, at today’s (February 5) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

The by-election in the Aenon Town division on November 22, 2024, resulted in an overall tie in the number of councillors in the Clarendon Municipal Corporation. Both political parties have 11 councillors in the Corporation.

He noted that since the by-election there has been a contentious atmosphere existing in the Clarendon Municipal Corporation.

He pointed out that this controversy has derailed the last three meetings of the Municipal Corporation, and so he wrote to the Attorney General and the Solicitor General for their input on the matter.

“With the legal position being clearly expressed, I’m expecting that the outburst and the disruption of the Clarendon Municipal Corporation will come to an end and that the needs of the people in their respective divisions will occupy the attention of the councillors,” the Minister said.

“I must, however, say that I am disappointed about the manner in which this dispute in Clarendon has unfolded. The Local Governance Act is very clear and those who have been undermining the normal functions of the Corporation, in pursuit of leadership change only have to read it or seek legal advice to see that their attempt has no basis in law,” he added.

 

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CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON

LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER CONDEMNS DISORDER THAT CAUSED PREMATURE TERMINATION OF ALGAJ AGM

Posted on February 3, 2025

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, has strongly condemned the chaos at today’s Annual General Meeting of the Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica (ALGAJ), that resulted in injuries being inflicted on ALGAJ President Councillor Winston Maragh and the premature termination of the meeting.

“This is a day of total disgrace in the life of local government. I am calling out the behaviour of Councillors, who deliberately disrupted the meeting at the point where the elections for the Executive of ALGAJ were to take place. That disruption deteriorated into total chaos, with Councillors swarming the podium, and the ALGAJ President suffering the indignity of having the microphone twisted out of his hand, injuring him in the process. This disgraceful series of events was played out in front of a range of invited guests including members of the media.

“This desperate, reckless and callous behaviour is a huge stain on the image of local government. This Administration has worked extremely hard to elevate not only the resources given to local government but also the professional and ethical standards that this critical form of government must reflect. I will not allow this shocking fall from grace to go unchecked. Accordingly, I will meeting with the ALGAJ shortly. I also want to remind Councillors that while they are elected on the tickets of their political parties, they have a responsibility to everyone in their Divisions. I must also bring into public focus, recent events and actions that are designed to undermine the practical impact, effectiveness and therefore the reputation of local government. None of this benefits the Jamaican people, and I am calling for an immediate restoration of order to the administration of public business at the local level.”