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.”

ODPEM URGES CITIZENS TO PRACTISE NAVIGATING THEIR HOMES IN THE DARK FOR SAFETY

Posted on January 24, 2025

KINGSTON, January 24 (JIS):

Jamaicans are being urged to familiarise themselves with the layout of their homes in the dark as a crucial step in earthquake preparedness and general safety.

This advice was issued by Director General, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Richard Thompson, during a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ focused on Earthquake Awareness Month, being observed in January.

“Learn [the layout of] your house so you can navigate that space in the dark. I don’t know how many persons try to just shut off all the lights at home and navigate in the dark. [This is] a practice that persons need to [constantly] do,” Mr Thompson said.

Power outages are common occurrences during emergencies such as earthquakes, and knowing how to move around the house in darkness is essential.

“It’s not only for earthquake preparedness; it’s for general security. You don’t want to hear a sound and [you’re attempting to] turn on the lights to try to find out what is happening,” Mr. Thompson pointed out.

He further highlighted the importance of putting keys in a central location to aid swift evacuation during emergencies.

“We have a lot of grills in Jamaica. You should have at least one grill on each floor that you can open easily, and you need to know where to find that key. The key must be in a centralised location,” the Director General stated.

He cautioned that earthquakes can trigger secondary events like fires, emphasising the importance of being able to get out of the house quickly should this occur.

“You don’t want a situation where you literally end up in an encased facility because all your grills are rigid and none of them can be opened, especially your window grills; so, you [should] practise those [safety] measures at home,” Mr. Thompson added.

CONTACT: SHANNA K. SALMON

STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN EARTHQUAKE DRILLS

Posted on January 21, 2025

MONTEGO BAY, January 20 (JIS):                                                 BY: OKOYE HENRY

Students from across St. Elizabeth have the information and confidence to face an earthquake, as they participated in a series of earthquake drills, which tested their readiness for the natural disaster.

The exercises formed part of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) Earthquake Awareness Campaign, with Wednesday, January 15, designated as Earthquake Awareness Day in Schools.

Eight-year-old Demar Cunningham, like his fellow schoolmates, demonstrated the “drop, cover and hold on” technique in his classroom at Burnt Savannah Primary School on the day.

He noted the importance of the technique, as “you can get [hurt] by anything falling”.

Moreover, evacuating to an assembly point in an open area is crucial, said Demar, who said that the safety measures taught at school could easily be applied at home to further drive home the value of these exercises in everyday life.

The practical aspect of the drills also left a lasting impression on Demar’s peer, Roannsiya Samuels. She recounted how the school conducted a headcount after the students gathered in the playfield to ensure everyone was present.

“Thanks to those who came out here today for the demonstration,” she said.

At Newcombe Valley Primary School, grade-five student, Kimanique Campbell, had a clear understanding of the safety procedures. With the crucial safety practices embedded in her young mind, she along with her peers were able to demonstrate how these drills are to be executed in the school.

“It is important to know about earthquakes because it will keep us safe,” the student noted.

“I learned how to evacuate from [the classroom], but when I first hear the earthquake alarm, I know to drop, cover and hold on. You continue this until you hear another alarm, and then you will evacuate the classroom and come to the assembly point,” she added.

For Schoolfield Primary and Infant School, the students expressed gratitude for the earthquake drill. In fact, grade-two student, Omando Forbes, said that he “wants to say thanks to all the persons that came here today. I learned a lot”.

The initiative in the parish involved multiple stakeholders, including the Jamaica Fire Brigade and St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, among other stakeholders who  contributed to the day’s success.

According to Parish Coordinator for Disaster Preparedness at the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, Ornella Lewis, earthquakes happen throughout the year, and as such, schools, businesses and communities need to keep abreast of safety protocols to prepare for the unpredictability of such events.

Jamaica experienced 663 earthquakes last year, with 19 being felt. These statistics underscore the importance of these drills in Jamaica where earthquakes are an ever-present threat.

Today, we have two teams that were dispatched across the parish of St Elizabeth. Today, we started off with HEART’s South West TVET Institute based in Black River and we also went to Lacovia Primary and Infant School and Glen Stuart Primary and Infant School,” Ms. Lewis outlined.

“We have other schools that participated in the activity today, with some opted for self-evaluation, whilst others would have opted for the external evaluations,” she added.

Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) District Officer in Fire Prevention, Sheryl Walters, while praising the overall response of schools in the parish, pointed out that there are areas that need improvement.

Many of the schools are lacking in their alarm systems, which mostly have one alarm system used for fire drills. This creates confusion among students and staff members, who may just have seconds to make life-saving decisions.

“So, recommendations were made to the principals of these schools,” Ms. Walters pointed out.

“Also, I hope that different stakeholders would have seen these activities today and give assistance where necessary. The JFB will continue to sensitise students and the public about the different alarms, disasters and response they should take in the event of an emergency,” she added.

Earthquake drills are promoted in schools, businesses, and other locations throughout the month of January each year.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER LAMENTS LOSS OF YOUNG LIVES IN ST. ANN HOUSE FIRE

Posted on January 13, 2025

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, has expressed profound grief at the tragic deaths of three children in a house fire that occurred at Walkers Wood in St. Ann early this morning.

Three children, siblings 2 year old Tavaughno, 3 year old Tashanie and 7 year old Tashana Mattis perished in the fire.

“This is another painful moment that draws sharp attention to the critical importance of fire prevention and fire safety. My heart goes out to the remaining family and friends, and I am especially thinking about the childrens’ grandmother and the lone grandchild, just 5 years old, who survived the fire.

“We have now lost four children to house fires in these first twelve days of 2025. That is the same number of children who died due to fires over the entire year of 2024. The Jamaica Fire Brigade is ramping up its public education activities through the Fire and Life Safety Programme. I must however, make a national call for us to take far greater care of ourselves and each other. Most fires are preventable, and we have the power, through the actions we take every single day, to ensure that we prevent further loss of lives and property through fires.

“Last year, 27 people died, 79 people were injured and 1,600 people lost their homes because of fires. I am urging every Jamaican to use today’s terrible tragedy to decide, once and for all that together, we will prevent incidents like these from happening again.”

NSWMA RESETS FOR 2025

Posted on January 7, 2025

KINGSTON, January 6 (JIS):

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is reviewing its operations over the last year and developing strategies to improve service delivery, at a special meeting now under way at the Courtleigh Hotel in Kingston.

The meeting, which involves directors, regional managers, administrators and other stakeholders across the NSWMA’s four regions, is being held under the theme ‘Operation RESET’:

R– Review of our operations to

E– Ensure that we deliver

S– Service that is

E– Efficient and

T– Timely

Discussions are focused on human-resource capacity, commercial operations, enforcement operations, administrative functions and community relations.

Addressing the opening session, Executive Director of the NSWMA, Audley Gordon, noted that “with the new year, we think it is a great opportunity to reflect on 2024, fix what went wrong and combine this into the theme called Operation RESET, where we review our operations to ensure that we deliver a service that is efficient and timely”.

“It has all the elements to come together to fix the service and make it better,” he added.

He noted the commitment of the leadership and workers to make the service “more fit-for-purpose, more efficient and, therefore, serve our public in a more meaningful way”.

Citing improvements in human-resource capacity, Mr. Gordon said significant strides have been made over the past four to five years in terms of salary, uniforms, and job security, with 500 NSWMA staff receiving permanent positions within the entity.

Discussions concerning the pension arrangement of workers is ongoing, he noted.

“A lot is being done by the executive to try to improve conditions and we have had very good support from the Government in trying to lift the standard and, therefore, the morale of the staff of the NSWMA,” Mr. Gordon said.

 

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CONTACT: ROCHELLE WILLIAMS

BENEFICIARIES OF INDIGENT HOUSING PROGRAMME HAPPY FOR NEW HOUSES

Posted on December 20, 2024

KINGSTON, Dec.  (JIS):

Overwhelmed with emotion, tears of joy flowed down the faces of Ellenor Whyte and Carmel Maxwell when they were handed the keys to their new two-bedroom homes on December 16, life changing gifts just in time for Christmas.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, presented the keys to the furnished houses at a handover ceremony at Beresford Street, Admiral Town, in St. Andrew South, under the Government’s Indigent Housing Programme.

Both women were very appreciative and expressed heartfelt gratitude for their new homes.

“I thank you all so much and I wish for you and me a Merry Christmas,” Ms. Whyte said.

Ms. Maxwell also thanked all stakeholders who played a part in ensuring that she received a new home.

The new beneficiaries, their families and community members erupted into cheers and heartfelt celebration as Ms. Whyte and Ms. Maxwell stepped into their new homes.

Mr. McKenzie said the Government remains resolute in providing housing solutions to people in need. “I am proud to be part of a Government that continues to provide for the less fortunate,” he said.

 

“I am glad that we were able to complete these units and afford both individuals the privilege of spending Christmas in a new home. We not only built these units, but we have gone a step further by furnishing the units, so they have an opportunity of not just a roof over their heads, but we have provided housing solutions in terms of making them comfortable,” he said.

The Minister informed that just under $19 million was spent to construct the units. “We care for the poor and we will stop at no expense to provide suitable, quality and good houses for these people,” he said.

Mr. McKenzie urged the beneficiaries to take care of the units, noting that the Ministry has not received any reports of abuse of units handed over under the programme.

“I am pretty confident that the individuals will take pride in the units, because it is important that it is not just seen as a house, but it is a home, a place of comfort, somewhere you can sit back and relax and give God thanks,” he said.

The Minister further informed that five units have been assigned to the constituency through the efforts of elected representatives, including the Member of Parliament.

Leader of the Opposition and Member of Parliament for the area, Mark Golding, said the homes will transform the lives of the beneficiaries.

“It is a joyous day to see Ellenor and Carmel getting access to these homes. These homes have been well constructed by our local contractor…he knows the lay of the land here, he does excellent work here, always on time and within budget,” Mr. Golding said.

He recalled the first time he met Ellenor and committed to improving her living condition.

 

BY: CHRIS PATTERSON