Local Government Minister tables temporary amendment to ROPA -Bill will postpone Local Government Elections up to February 2022

Posted on November 26, 2020February 21, 2022

KINGSTON, Jamaica: The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development piloted a Bill to amend the Representation of the People Act (ROPA) to effectively postpone the Local Government polls no later than February 2022.

The Bill entitled An Act to Temporarily Modify the Representation of the People Act was tabled in the House of Representatives.

The postponement is due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse economic conditions which worsened with the recent rains that resulted in widespread damage.

“It is clear that a greater period of time is needed for this recovery process. Accordingly, the Representation of the People Act is being temporarily amended, to facilitate the holding of the next Local Government Elections on a date no later than February 27, 2022,” said Portfolio Minister, Honourable Desmond McKenzie in his address to Parliament on Tuesday.

“As the Minister responsible for Local Government, and a member of the Government led by the Most Honourable Prime Minister, I wish to assure the House and the country of our commitment to having the next Local Government Elections, the 13^th since Independence, within this amended timeframe.”

Local Government Elections were last held on November 28, 2016 when Councillors for 228 parochial divisions and the Mayor of Portmore were elected to serve at the local level.

The 8^th Schedule to the Local Governance Act provides a period of extension of 90 days commencing on the day after the fourth anniversary of the date on which the most recent election was held.  This means that without the amendment, the next Local Government Elections were to be held no later than February 27, 2021.

Minister McKenzie emphasized that the Government is fully engaged in managing the COVID-19 pandemic that heavily disrupted the economy and society.

“The primary focus is still that of observing the health and safety protocols and keeping infection rates as low as possible. In addition to this, the Government continues to respond to the effects of the adverse weather systems of the past few weeks, which has seen extensive damage to our road network. The damage to parochial roads alone is estimated at J$1.5 billion,” he added.

“The Meteorological Service has advised that the forecast is for more rains past the end of the Atlantic Hurricane Season at the end of November, right into early 2021. The cost of staging elections at this time is also a major factor Madame Speaker, as the Government is responding to these realities in the context of financial constraints especially caused by COVID-19.”

 

Local Government Month 2020

Posted on November 6, 2020February 21, 2022

Local Government and Rural Development Minister Tables Parliamentary Motion to Make Portmore Jamaica’s Fifteenth Parish

Posted on November 4, 2020February 21, 2022

Having promised to take steps to make the Portmore Municipality Jamaica’s fifteenth parish, the Government has started the official process to make it happen.

On Tuesday November 3, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, tabled a Motion in the House of Representatives to empower Parliament to consider and report on this important proposal. The Motion calls for a Joint Select Committee to be formed to deliberate on the benefits of making Portmore a parish, and for that Joint Select Committee to have the authority to invite submissions from any stakeholders considered relevant to the process.

A Joint Select Committee is comprised of Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The Local Government and Rural Development Minister says the size and special features of Portmore make it suitable to be a parish. “This is the largest dormitory community in the Caribbean, with hundreds of thousands of inhabitants. Apart from the sheer numbers of people who live there, the space contains attractions, emerging social amenities and a wide variety of businesses, educational and religious institutions that give it a special sense of identity. That is why you hear terms like “Sunshine City” when Portmore is mentioned.

“In campaigning for a renewed mandate earlier this year, this Administration formally promised the people through our party’s Manifesto that given all the unique features of Portmore, and our desire to structure its development in a sustainable way that will benefit all its residents, that we will make it a parish. Two months after the elections, we have begun the process of delivering on this commitment.”

The Local Government and Rural Development Minister said he has no doubt that the people of Portmore are eagerly anticipating this development. “There have been discussions about doing something special for Portmore for many years, even before it was made a Municipality in 2003. I lived in Portmore for many years, and I can attest to the fact that the residents see themselves in a special way, have a special sense of belonging to the area, and are looking forward to this form of civic, cultural and economic development.”

Minister of Local Government Announces New Director-General of The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management

Posted on November 3, 2020

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie has announced the appointment of Mr. Leslie Harrow as the new Director-General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), effective Monday, November 2.

“Mr. Harrow brings to the leadership of the ODPEM over 23 years of service in the public sector, including over 18 in various strategic, logistical and other organizational leadership capacities in the Electoral Office of Jamaica. I am confident that his skills and experience will serve the Agency and the country well. He assumes office at a particularly busy time, as the ODPEM discharges its responsibilities in the midst of the current, intense weather systems. I also wish to place on record my appreciation to the Acting Director-General of the Agency, Mr. Richard Thompson, who will now revert to his substantive role as Deputy Director-General.

“As Jamaica’s disaster management Agency, the ODPEM has been a critical part of the process of protecting the people of Jamaica for over 40 years, and will continue to be an essential institution as we work to manage and recover from the effects of COVID-19, as well as climatic events.”

 

Contact: Communications Unit

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development

61 Hagley Park Road

Kingston 10

Tel: 876-618-7360-1

Ministry Extends Junior Councils’ Tenure

Posted on October 23, 2020

KINGSTON, Jamaica: The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has extended the tenure of the current Junior Council for another year.

The Junior Council Programme forms part of the activities for Local Government and Community Month, which is observed annually in November.

“This is due to the current Covid-19 pandemic which has prevented them from accomplishing any of their projects for the tenure. Also, the practicing of social distancing in schools has made the recruitment of process extremely difficult at this time,” said Permanent Secretary Marsha Henry Martin.

The Junior Council is made up of Youth Mayor in each Municipal Corporation and are supported by Junior Councillors akin to the number of parochial divisions in each parish.

The Programme provides an avenue for young people to play their part in the transformation of their communities and educate citizens about the importance of local government.

The Permanent Secretary has also advised the chief executive officers in each Municipality to have the Junior Councils explore the creation of an “easy to read” Local Government Manual as part of their main project. The manual is to explain the role and function of local government within the community and society; as well as the organizational structure that explains the distinction between the political directorate and the administrative arm.

“This would be a signal achievement as it has never been done before and it can be used by municipal corporations islandwide especially since local government now forms part of the Grade 5 curriculum. They could also do virtual presentations and share electronic copies with schools,” Mrs. Henry Martin added.

The Ministry also increased the funds allocated to each Junior Council last November.  The allocation, which is used for the Councils’ projects, was increased to $750,000 from $500,000.

Minister of Local Government Mourns the Death Of Councilor for The Fellowship Division, Irvin Brown

Posted on October 21, 2020

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, has expressed profound sadness at the death of Councillor for the Fellowship Division in Portland, Mr. Irvin Brown. Councillor Brown died on Tuesday after battling COVID-19 in hospital.

“It is a bitter loss to the people of Fellowship, a loss to the people of Eastern Portland and also to the elected representatives and administrative officers of the Portland Municipal Corporation. Irvin was a committed, industrious and pleasant person who people not only highly respected, but deeply loved.

“When we were preparing for the Local Government elections in 2016 and evaluating our candidates for that contest, there was no question that Irvin Brown was the man that the people of Fellowship wanted. Moreover, he had the leadership skills that are critical to the higher quality of local representation that the Ministry of Local Government is developing around the country. Having won the Division, Irvin started implementing his vision with great passion and seriousness, and it was my personal joy to have worked very closely with him. His representation was instrumental to the decision to install a new swing bridge at Ginger House in November last year, and now over 1,500 people in and around that district are better off. Ironically, it was just weeks ago that we toured a COVID-19 facility in the parish.

 

“My sadness at his departure is all the deeper because I know that he had much more to give. In four short years, he made a deep and lasting impression on everyone, and he is being sorely missed. On behalf of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, and on behalf of the Jamaica Labour Party, I express deepest condolences to his family. We feel their loss, and while he has gone far too soon, we feel assured that he is resting in peace.”

Provision of houses for the indigent remains a priority – Minister McKenzie

Posted on September 25, 2020February 21, 2022

The provision of houses for the indigent remains a priority for the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry, says Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie.

Speaking at a ceremony to welcome the new Minister of State, Hon. Homer Davis, at the Ministry on September 22, Mr. McKenzie said that work is far advanced on a number of projects for the indigent.

“We are expecting the soup kitchen at Church Street (Kingston) to be up and running by the end of this month (September). They have just concluded the procurement for the equipment and we are looking forward to that.

There are two indigent houses and a drop-in facility that is to be opened later this month in St. Thomas,” the Minister said.

The Secretary of the Board of Supervision within the Ministry announced the addition of a soup kitchen on Church Street in July, to sustain the feeding programme the Government started earlier this year for the vulnerable population.

Mr. McKenzie had also announced the Government’s plans to build 100 houses across the island for the indigent, with 12 projected to be completed before the end of the 2020/2021 financial year. These will be concentrated within St. Andrew.

“I will be breaking ground in West Central St. Andrew in short order, where we are going to commence building out about 12 indigent houses and then I will move into the South West St. Andrew constituency to do a similar project, but in a reduced number. So, we will be concentrating in St. Andrew in this new set of indigent houses that we are going to be providing,” the Minister said.

He highlighted the improvement of infrastructure at infirmaries, the construction of drop-in facilities and work done to improve the conditions of the poor and destitute as the “signature achievement of the Ministry” in the last four years.

The Minister noted that although the Ministry has undergone a name change, it still retains the overall responsibility for community development, and its affiliate agency, the Social Development Commission (SDC), will play a critical role in the Ministry’s new focus on rural development.

New State Minister in Local Government commits to mandate

Posted on September 25, 2020February 21, 2022

New Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Homer Davis, has pledged his commitment to aid the Ministry in achieving its mandate through his assigned areas of responsibility.

“I can say to the senior members of staff that we will move local government to its rightful place. We need for Local Government to be the premier ministry of government. My commitment is to go the extra mile to make sure that we achieve the mandate of this Government, so we will be joining all efforts to make sure that Local Government delivers on its mandate,” Mr. Davis told senior management members at the Ministry, during an introductory meeting on Tuesday (September 22).

The Ministry has undergone a name change from Community Development to Rural Development and now has responsibility for two additional services.

“The responsibilities of the Ministry has grown because we have added that for rural development, which includes water and rural electrification. These are two important components of service delivery of any administration and we hope to build on what started in those agencies,” Portfolio Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said at the meeting.

“There are going to be areas across the country where the National Water Commission will not be able to provide potable water. This becomes the sole responsibility of the Ministry of Local Government, and the new State Minister has come in with vast knowledge and experience and we will be putting that to use in the assignments that he has been given,” the Minister added.

The Minister of State, who previously served as a three-time Councillor and immediate past Mayor of Montego Bay, has been assigned the areas of parochial roads; social, minor and rural water; street lights; and the municipal police.

Mr. McKenzie expressed his confidence in the newly appointed State Minister to carry out his responsibilities as both agree that they are looking forward to working together.

“He did well in his tenure as Mayor of Montego Bay. There are significant changes that have been made under his leadership and I am sure than in the areas of responsibilities that he has been assigned, he will do well. I know he has the potential to do well and I am looking forward for us to make Local Government greater than what we have been doing since 2016,” the Minister said.

Closure of 36 beaches and rivers takes effect today

Posted on August 14, 2020

Minister of Local Government and Community Development Honourable Desmond McKenzie is reminding the public that 36 beaches and rivers are officially closed as of today, Friday August 14. No activities can take place at these venues and no access to them will be allowed until further notice.

“We are serious about preserving public health, and that is why these 17 beaches and 19 rivers, which reflected glaring and continuous breaches of the COVID-19 protocols must be closed at this time. We will be monitoring these locations to make sure that they are closed until permission is given for re-opening. In the meantime, I am calling on those who will go to other beaches and rivers this weekend and thereafter, to stick to the protocols. We want to see increased use of masks, more sanitizing and social distancing. We don’t want the venues to be overcrowded. People can have a great time without creating an increased risk of contracting and transmitting COVID-19.”

 

BEACHES AND RIVERS NOW CLOSED

Parish	Beaches	Rivers
Kingston and St.Andrew (6)	Bob Marley  Beach	Cane River Falls
		Penfield River
		Grove River
		Cane River (Dallas)
		Hope River
	1	5
St.Catherine (2)	Hellshire    Beach	Caymanas River/Natures Paradise River
	1	1
Clarendon (3)	Farquhar Beach	Salt River
		Cockpit River
	1	2
Manchester (4)	Alligator Pond Beach	Alligator Pond River
		Noisy River (Oxford  River)
		Gutts River
	1	3
St.Elizabeth (1)	Great Bay Beach
	1	0
Westmoreland    (3)	Bluefields Beach	Sweet River
	Norman Manley Beach	Roaring River
	2	2
Trelawny (4)	Burwood Beach
	Jacobs Taylor
	Half Moon Bay
	Victoria/Charlott Beach
	4	0
St. Ann (4)	Ocho Rios Bay Beach/Turtle Beach	Little Dunns  River
	Fantasy Beach
	Cardiff Hall Beach /Flavours Beach
	3	1
Portland (3)	Winnifred Beach
	Frenchman’s Cove
	Boston
	3
St. Mary (2)		Spanish Bridge River
		Blue Hole River -Cascade
	0	2
St.Thomas (3)		Yallahs River
		Reggae Falls
		Roaring River
	0	3
Total 36	17 Beaches	19 Rivers