Government Calls for Year Round Focus On Earthquakes

Posted on January 23, 2020January 23, 2020

The Minister of Local Government and Community Development has announced the Government’s plans to focus on earthquake awareness and preparedness all year round to ensure the country is in a state of readiness.

“With the frequency of earthquakes in the region and the proximity of the most recently recorded quakes to the island, this administration acknowledges that the ever present threat of earthquakes needs to be tackled with a similar ever present state of awareness. While we have traditionally focused on earthquake awareness at the beginning of the year in January, the conversation needs to be year-round,” portfolio Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, told JIS News.

The Minister stated that the Government will focus on the state of readiness of major players for any eventualities in particular, earthquakes. Among these are the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Jamaica Fire Brigade, Jamaica Defence Force, Ministry of Health and Wellness and the country’s disaster management agency, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management.

The Minister said there will be a public awareness campaign with a series of symposiums, public engagement and high-level conversations to keep the matter in the forefront of the minds of the people.

Citizens are being encouraged to remain in a constant state of readiness by practicing emergency drills, learning the ‘Drop, Cover, Hold’ earthquake response and having emergency kits and plans in place for businesses and places of residence.

Ginger House, Portland gets new bridge

Posted on November 11, 2019December 2, 2019

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Residents of Ginger House and Cornwall Barracks in East Portland now have easier access to their homes following the construction of a new $7.1 million swing bridge.

 

The bridge, which was officially opened by the Honourable Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, will serve some 1500 residents in and around the environs of the Rio Grande Valley.

“Don’t swing on it. It is for the purpose of walking, not swinging. It is your investment,” said Minister McKenzie at the hand-over on November 6.

“The actual work of the construction started in 2018. Not only was the construction of the bridge completed on time and within budget, but the work also provided opportunities for many people in the community who gained employment during the period of construction.”

The Minister also thanked the residents for their patience in awaiting the construction of the new connection, and stated that he was relieved that they would no longer use unconventional methods – including wading through the river – to get home.

The original bridge was reportedly washed away during heavy rains in 2014.

Councillor Irvin Brown, whose has responsibility for the Fellowship Division, described the handing over as a “proud day” for the community. He also shared that economic activities, especially for the farmers, would return.

Funding for the new bridge was made available by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.

“The bridge falls under the direct control of the Portland Municipal Corporation. It is a part of the government’s thrust to use local government to improve lives in the various communities across the country,” Minister McKenzie added.

He also spoke to the poor condition of the main thoroughfare leading in to the community of Ginger House.

“I am giving the assurance to the community that we will endeavor to at least make driving a little bit easier than it presently is on the road. Through the Ministry of Local Government, we will do everything that is humanly possible to ensure that you are able to access your living conditions in an easy way.”

Municipal Corporations To Get New Water Trucks

Posted on October 25, 2019February 21, 2022

JIS NEWS, Montego Bay: Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says that municipal corporations will be equipped with new water trucks during financial year 2020/2021.

“We are going to be providing right across the country, in the new financial year coming, at least one water truck for every municipal corporation in Jamaica to assist in the distribution of water to the people who desperately need water,” he said, while addressing the recent opening of a water shop in Top Hill, St. Elizabeth.

Mr. McKenzie said that the trucks will help alleviate water shortages across the island, particularly in parishes such as St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon and Portland.

He said that the Ministry will also provide minor water systems to communities where such shortages exist.

In the meantime, Minister McKenzie maintained that privately owned water trucks must be sterilised and certified in order to deliver water.

He noted that the Government has to take the health of citizens into consideration, “because you don’t want a truck that is pulling sewage or chemicals to be delivering water for you to drink and to cook with”.

“Private trucks, under the public health law, must meet the requirements. They must be sterilised [and] certified before they can deliver the water. I want to make it clear that no municipal corporation should use any trucks that refuse to get the proper certification to distribute water,” Mr. McKenzie said.

“It is part of the requirement; the law calls for it and we are maintaining that stand,” he added.

Local Government Minister to meet with National Disaster Committee

Posted on October 25, 2019

JIS NEWS, Montego Bay: Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says he will convene a meeting with the National Disaster Committee on Monday (September 16), to discuss Jamaica’s state of readiness in the event of a disaster.

Mr. McKenzie, who spoke at the monthly meeting of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation, in Falmouth, on Thursday (September 12), said the Government is not prepared to adopt a “wait and see” attitude, and will be proactive in its approach.

“As the local authority with responsibility for preparedness, we must be proactive in what we are doing. Assessments need to be done now as to where we are in terms of our shelters [as well as] the critical areas of the parish that would need attention,” the Minister emphasised.

He said all municipal corporations will be put on notice to activate their respective disaster response mechanisms to ensure that the necessary resources, such as provisions, equipment, volunteers and more, are in place and are ready to be deployed in case of any emergency.

The Minister said the Government is treating this as a vital matter, because more than 98 per cent of the country’s capital towns are near the coast.

“We have to, as a country, start to examine how we treat disasters, and I am saying this today, that we are prepared now to invoke the provisions under the Disaster Risk Management Law that speaks to compulsory evacuation of communities across the country,” Mr. McKenzie said.

“For too long we see where communities that are prone to flooding refuse to heed the call. This Government is not going to put itself in any position because a few refuse to heed the warning. We are prepared to throw the books at those persons who will not accede to the request to relocate if the need arises,” he added.

The Minister also indicated that special attention must be given to the vulnerable and physically challenged. He said they must be put “on a list of priorities, so that we can identify them if the time comes for them to be relocated”.

In response to the hurricane-ravaged neighbouring islands of The Bahamas, the Minister announced that the 14 municipalities across the country have agreed to make donations of US$5,000 to the relief assistance.

He said the money will be lodged to an account that was set up by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).

“ I would urge all of you who can make that contribution to help the plight of the people in The Bahamas to do so. We could be in their position. So, while we are in a much better space today, I am asking that we give to the efforts of the people in The Bahamas,” Mr. McKenzie said.

The donation account is at the National Commercial Bank, Oxford Road Branch, with the account number: 212387304. The name of the account is ‘ODPEM Donation Account’.

Youth to Play Key Role In Staging Of 2020 Regional Platform

Posted on October 25, 2019October 25, 2019

JIS NEWS, Kingston: Jamaica’s youth will play a critical role in the execution of the seventh Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean (RP20), says Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie.

“It is critical that they are involved from a very early stage because what we discovered during the [Ministry’s] youth summer employment programme [is] that a lot of the information that we were able to collect on vulnerable areas and persons who would find it difficult to be relocated during a disaster, was prepared by the young people,” he noted.

He was speaking at a meeting in Panama City, Panama, on September 3 involving the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to discuss partnerships for RP20.

The three-day conference, scheduled for July 8 to 10, 2020 in Montego Bay, St. James, will review progress made on reducing disaster losses in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Regional Platform is being jointly organised by the Government of Jamaica, UNDRR and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

Minister McKenzie said that youth volunteers will be drawn from the Social Development Commission (SDC) and existing school volunteer programmes to give input for various aspects of the conference.

“They have a vision in terms of what they see the future is, and I think their participation will be of great significance not just to the country but to the region in general,” he noted.

Mr. McKenzie underscored the Ministry’s continued engagement of young people not just through the summer employment programme but also through its junior mayor and youth council initiative.

UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Marita Perceval, echoed similar sentiments on the need to involve youth in disaster planning, noting that the young people “are not just victims; they are agents of change and we must begin to view them as such”.

Minister McKenzie is heading a delegation to Panama from September 2 to 6, to meet with the Advisory Council for the Seventh Regional Platform and develop the conference’s agenda.

The UN Regional Platforms bring together government officials and heads of disaster and emergency management agencies with key stakeholders in disaster risk reduction, to foster collaboration and the sharing of best practices and techniques.

The platforms aid countries in achieving the targets of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015.

Timely hosting for Regional Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

Posted on October 25, 2019October 25, 2019

JIS NEWS, Kingston: Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says the hosting of the Seventh Regional Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean (RP20) by Jamaica, in July 2020, will be timely.

Speaking in an interview with Radio Turks and Caicos at the inaugural Shock-Responsive Social Protection in the Caribbean Regional Symposium, in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, on June 27, Mr. McKenzie said with the recent changes in Jamaica’s weather pattern, in particular the rain and temperatures, and the formation of hurricanes outside of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, responses to climate change have to be crafted.

“What we are seeing is a dramatic change in the weather pattern, and all of this is because the matter of climate change perhaps has not dawned on us and the question is not ‘if’, it’s ‘when’. It is here, but it has not yet manifested itself in the way to have a devastating effect on the region,” the Minister said.

“We met with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to look at aspects of the planning. To the Council of Ministers, I am prepared to make a presentation to that meeting as to what we are expecting from the region in Jamaica in July of next year,” he said.

Regional Platforms are United Nations Office on Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) conferences that bring together government officials and heads of disaster and emergency management agencies within a region with key stakeholders in disaster risk reduction, to foster collaboration and the sharing of best practices and techniques.

The Platforms aid countries in achieving the targets of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015.

Next year will be the first time a Regional Platform will be hosted in the Caribbean, and as such, the name was changed to reflect that. With a Caribbean country as the host nation, the disaster risks faced by small island developing states can be better highlighted to participants from North, Central and South America and the rest of the world.

“We are expecting close to 1,500 to 1,600 delegates to participate and they will be coming from all across the globe. It is anticipated that we are going to have participation from 60 or more countries, not just within the region but from as far as Africa,” Minister McKenzie said.

The impact of climate change on the Caribbean will be among the topical issues examined and discussed at the RP20, slated for July 8 to 10, 2020, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James. The theme for RP20 is: ‘Building Resilient Economies in the Americas and the Caribbean’.

The symposium was hosted by the World Food Programme and CDEMA, in collaboration with the government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

It was a precursor to the Ninth Meeting of the Council of CDEMA on June 28.

Ministry observes Internal Audit Month

Posted on October 25, 2019

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Internal auditors from the Trelawny and St James Municipal Corporations have received special awards for their level of compliance with the International Standards for the professional practice.

The awardees – Jannel Campbell and Shamar Campbell – were recognized during a recent seminar organized by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development’s Internal Audit Unit.

The seminar was held on May 31 recognition of Internal Audit Month observing the theme ‘Promoting the profession and building awareness’.

The seminar comprised presentations from members of the Ministry’s Internal Audit Unit as well as the Institute for Internal Auditors Jamaica Chapter.

The Chapter reiterated the importance of professional accreditation whilst the Audit Unit introduced its function, team and explained how management can assist in ensuring that the audit experience is pleasant and effective.

There were also interactive sessions that included the completion of a crossword puzzle and trivia questions that required internal audit-related answers.

Portfolio Minister Honourable Desmond McKenzie and Nadine Forrest- Allen of the Ministry’s Audit Committee made the awards presentation to Misses Campbell.

The group was also entertained by the capably Kayla Smarth.

The seminar closed with a posthumous award to Tameka Wright, former secretary of the Ministry’s Internal Audit Unit. The award was collected by her sisters

JFB Official Encourages Persons to Call Emergency Numbers

Posted on July 23, 2019June 21, 2021

Superintendent, Kingston and St. Andrew Fire Service, Julian Davis-Buckle, is encouraging members of the public to use the emergency numbers of the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) in the event of an emergency.

The direct lines for the JFB in Kingston are (876) 922-2121 or (876) 922-2122. The switchboard number for the JFB in Kingston is (876) 922-2127- 9. Persons are also advised to dial 110 for fire and ambulance emergencies.

“This is the general line. People who complain about credit… if you don’t have credit, call 110,” she said, in an interview with JIS News.

Superintendent Davis-Buckle is calling on members of the public to use the JFB’s direct lines rather than calling 119 for assistance, as this saves valuable time.

“One of the things we stress is that we be alerted as early as possible, but because people don’t know our numbers, they can’t call us straight, so they call 119 and they call all around before they actually get to us, and that is time consumed,” she said.

To avoid this, Mrs. Davis-Buckle is encouraging persons to programme the JFB emergency numbers into their phones to facilitate quick response time in case of a fire emergency.

“Those are the direct fire lines. If you call those, immediately you are answered on one ring. These are some of the things that affect our response time,” she said.

“Once they call that number and give the location, the dispatcher will know which station is closest to them and even know if they need more than one unit, so more than one station would turn up at the same time. The arrival time of everybody would be in sync, so we wouldn’t have to be on the scene and call for help,” Superintendent Davis-Buckle said.

With children on summer break, she is imploring parents to be vigilant of their activities.

“For the holiday season, it is important that parents not leave children unattended. It is tempting to just run down the road and leave a smaller one with a baby. It is not advisable. Make sure you have a responsible adult looking after them at all times,” the JFB official advised

“Know where they are playing and what they are playing. You have to be vigilant. We want to focus on the children for the summer…A lot of house fires are started because of carelessness,” she said.

Mrs. Davis-Buckle is imploring parents to ensure that lighters and matches are kept well out of the reach of children and that play activities be taken outdoors, rather than inside. She is also recommending that guardians conduct regular checks on children to ensure they are not playing with hazardous materials.

When it is discovered that a fire has broken out, the JFB Superintendent said, persons should evacuate buildings immediately.

“Once you identify a fire, get out of the building, and when you do, stay out. Do not go outside and remember you have something inside and go back in. No. Stay out, because if you go in you might not be able to get back out,” she warned.

Mrs. Davis-Buckle also advised that persons store keys in one central location to make it easier to quickly locate keys and exit the building in the event of a fire emergency. Also, she warns against keeping keys in bunches.

“The key for the front door must be separate and apart from the other – colour code if you must. Have fire safety talks with your families to prepare them, so in the event of a fire they will be able to act appropriately,” she said.

Minister Says YSEP Contributes to Low Unemployment Rate

Posted on July 22, 2019June 21, 2021