PRIME MINISTER CONFIRMS WASTE-TO-ENERGY AND DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS PROCESS AS LINCHPINS IN NATIONAL GROWTH AGENDA

Posted on May 26, 2016July 2, 2019

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced that the Government will be placing special emphasis on securing private investor interest in its programme of waste to energy conversion.

In his contribution to the 2016/17 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister noted that the Government will develop partnerships with a view to creating a waste to energy Plant, using the island’s Disposal Sites as the providers of the1.6 million tonnes of garbage that is deposited in them each year.

“The Riverton disposal site is situated on over 42 hectares (100 acres) of land in the western end of St Andrew. This site which serves Kingston, St. Andrew, and St. Catherine receives approximately 60% of the national waste deposits each day. The Government of Jamaica will undertake waste to energy developments, converting the waste at the disposal sites to useful energy for the country. The Government will develop an RFP geared towards attracting investors to develop a modern and comprehensive Waste to Energy System.”

The Prime Minister added that the Waste to Energy programme will strongly contribute to national energy security, vastly improved solid waste management and the maintenance of public health.

Currently, the management of solid waste is the responsibility of the National Solid Waste Management Authority, which is an Agency of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.

Mr. Holness also disclosed the intention of the Government to increase the speed of the development approvals process, for which the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is responsible, as an investment incentive to drive infrastructure development and job creation as part of the Administration’s Prosperity agenda.

“The Government intends to make significant strides in improving the process for land development applications and approvals. We will increase the pace of implementation of the web-based software to Automate the Development
Application and Approvals Process (AMANDA). This will provide greater transparency, improved applications tracking and management and improved customer service. The Government will very soon amend the necessary regulations to make it a mandatory requirement for the electronic submission and processing of all building and land development applications.”

Amendments to Litter Act coming soon – Local Government Minister

Posted on May 25, 2016July 2, 2019

As the Government of Jamaica continues to implement public sanitation measures to deal with the threat of the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases, Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie has announced that changes to the Litter Act are to go before Cabinet for approval shortly.

While participating in the National Labour Day Project at the Gregory Park Basic School in Portmore, St. Catherine, Minister McKenzie said the proposed amendments provide for, among other things, an increase in fines for littering. “While we are working to make the country clean, we have to bring to book those who continue to spoil the beauty of the country,” he said.

He noted the significance of the national project, which included major clean-up activities in the Gregory Park and Washington Mews communities, which have a significant number of mosquito breeding sites.

“Jamaicans have to recognise and accept that we are a tropical country, so we are prone to many of the problems associated with mosquitoes and it is going to be important that as a people we are committed to having a clean Jamaica.”

Labour Day 2016 was observed under the theme: ‘For Health’s Sake…Keep It Clean’.

STOP ORDER PLACED ON ROYALTON NEGRIL PROJECT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER FORMS SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE TO GIVE FINDINGS IN 7 DAYS

Posted on May 11, 2016July 2, 2019

A Stop Order has been placed on the construction project at the Blue Diamond Royalton Negril.

This was disclosed by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, who has also indicated that the Order, which was issued by the Hanover Parish Council, will be in force for an initial thirty days, after which the status of the project will be reviewed.

The Minister also revealed that he has received a Preliminary Report from the Hanover Parish Council, into the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the building at the construction site.

In commending the Parish Council for its swift response, Mr. McKenzie also announced the formation of a three-member Committee, which will use the Preliminary Report as its initial point of reference to investigate the full circumstances surrounding the building collapse. The Committee will be comprised of:

• Mr. E.G. Hunter, Chief Executive Officer, National Works Agency
• Mr. Norman Shand, City Engineer, Kingston & St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC)
• Mr. Dwight Wilson, Chief Technical Officer, Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.

The Committee will have seven days in which to investigate and produce a Report to the Minister.

“The gravity of the situation requires not only quick answers but also clear and accurate ones, in the context of actions taken in relation to any Approvals given and our laws and regulations, including the National Building Code. Given what I have seen of the Preliminary Report, this period is sufficient for the completion of a comprehensive investigation. I am aware that the Principals of the project are en route to Jamaica from overseas, and so I expect that there will be clear opportunities for them and for us, the various Ministry and Agency representatives of the Government of Jamaica, to meet and to develop a clear path to the resolution of this very serious incident.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER ORDERS IMMEDIATE AUDIT OF HANOVER PARISH COUNCIL, ASSUMES CONTROL OF ALL DOCUMENTS OF THAT PARISH COUNCIL

Posted on May 6, 2016July 2, 2019

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, has directed that the Hanover Parish Council is to submit itself to a comprehensive audit, which is to begin today (May 26).

The Minister, who is in Hanover and is still attending a meeting with the Council, stated that a team of senior officials from the Local Government Ministry, comprised of its Chief Internal Auditor, Procurement Officer and Director of the Agency Liaison and Monitoring Division, will conduct a thorough review of the conduct of the Council’s financial and administrative affairs. He said the Audit team will also be investigating the issue of the Council’s lands being sold to persons without approval from the Ministry.

The team will report to Mr. McKenzie in three weeks, and will present him with an interim Report in seven days.

According to the Minister, “The Ministry of Local Government with immediate effect is taking full control of all documents here at the Hanover Parish Council,” He also stated that he has advised the Chairman of the Hanover Parish Council, Wynter McIntosh and Secretary/Manager, David Gardner, to ensure the audit team is given “uncompromising support”.

The Minister chided the political and administrative arms of the Council for failing to carry out the mandate of Local Government with integrity, and added that it has flouted the recommendations of the Office of the Contractor-General (OCG), which were published in its Special Investigative Report of 2015.

Minister McKenzie also ordered that all Councillors at the Hanover Parish Council must provide proof they have made their annual submissions to the Corruption Prevention Commission, and said the Ministry will also be looking at the conduct of administrative staff members, as the OCG had raised concern about their role in aiding and abetting certain activities of the Councillors.

There has been increased attention on the Council since the OCG revealed in its most recent Report that two Councillors – Lloyd Hill of the Sandy Bay Division, and Anthony Walker of the Cauldwell Division – recommended government contracts valued at millions of dollars to family members and political affiliates. In 2015, the OCG cited former Mayor of Lucea, Shernet Haughton, for similar practices in its Report.

NSWMA to get j$250 million this fiscal year to purchase new garbage trucks

Posted on April 15, 2016July 2, 2019

Special focus is to be placed on improving the operational capacity of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), and strongly enhancing its structures of fiscal and ethical governance in this Parliamentary Year. This was announced a short while ago by Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen, during his address at the State Opening of Parliament.

The Governor-General reveals the Government’s programme and policy emphases at the beginning of each Parliamentary Year.

In acknowledging that the management of waste in major towns and communities

across Jamaica has led to serious infestations, the Governor-General announced that “Two hundred and fifty million dollars has been provided in the Budget to purchase additional waste disposal trucks. The NSWMA has also identified four priority areas for immediate action regarding the management of the Authority and the Riverton Disposal Site.”

These priorities are:

The enhancement of the speed with which contemporary financial controls are implemented, to ensure accountability, efficiency and compliance with all standards of financial reporting and the requirements of all statutes governing the Authority.

The enhancement of the Authority’s levels of service delivery, with special emphasis on its waste collection and waste disposal responsibilities.

The completion of ongoing consultations with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), and the satisfaction of compliance requirements in order to obtain and maintain environmental certification for the operation of Riverton, as well as the other Disposal Sites managed by the NSWMA.

The improvement in the security of the Riverton Disposal Site through the addition of electronic surveillance mechanisms to the system of patrols, which help to prevent unauthorised access to the facility.

Sir Patrick stated that these efforts will help to address some of the major concerns raised in the recent Investigative Report into the operations of the Agency by the Public Defender.

In declaring that there is an urgent need to restore public confidence in national institutions and institutions of Government, the Governor-General stated that the new Administration will be accelerating efforts to strengthen public sector efficiency and responsiveness.

With that in mind, he stated that in this fiscal year, the Government will drive the growth and job creation agenda through eleven specific portals, including the Implementation of reforms to the Development Applications Process, for which the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is responsible.

Local Government Ministry and JPS agree to Co-operation Framework to Improve Streetlight Infrastructure and Resolve Outstanding Debt Issues

Posted on April 15, 2016July 2, 2019

he Ministry of Local Government and the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) have agreed to develop a framework regarding the arrangements for the payment of outstanding monies and the management of the island’s more than 105-thousand streetlights.

The decision was reached yesterday (Wednesday April 13) at a meeting to address financial obligations, reporting capacity, database management, technical and infrastructural arrangements with a high-level delegation from JPS’ parent company Marubeni, executives of the local arm of JPS headed by President and Chief Executive Officer Kelly Tomblin.

In leading the team from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, portfolio Minister Hon. Desmond McKenzie highlighted the financial challenges being experienced. The JPS is currently owed approximately J$3.7 billion. He, however, gave a commitment to honour the financial obligations on a scheduled basis, which is to be worked out between both parties in subsequent discussions.

The meeting also saw the teams committing to:

Making themselves aware of the contents of the current streetlight audit, a copy of which was presented to Mr. McKenzie, which would provide the foundation for improvement in the management of street-lighting services.

JPS providing the Ministry with monthly, detailed reports about streetlights repaired and installed on a community-by-community basis.

JPS having its Parish Managers attend the current series of Day-in-Council meetings being held by Minister McKenzie across the island.

The establishment of a dedicated Streetlight Help Desk in the office of the Minister in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.

The holding of monthly meetings between both parties in a spirit of cooperation to develop the framework.

Advancing the plans for the implementation of the replacement of existing inefficient streetlights with a smart LED-based streetlight system.

Exploring future collaboration regarding technological enhancements.

Ministry signs development agreements with Japanese government

Posted on March 18, 2016July 2, 2019

A community development project Grant valued over J$10 million, was today signed between the St. Elizabeth Parish Council and the Government of Japan, at a special ceremony in Kingston.

The funding for the project, which was approved by the Government of Japan under the Japan Grassroots Human Security Project, will be used to construct a complex in the community of White Hall in south western St. Elizabeth.

The project was submitted in August of 2015 by a Japanese intern who was based at the St. Elizabeth Parish Council. The project falls under the Giddy Hall Community Development Committee (CDC).

At the same ceremony, His Excellency Mr. Masanori Nakano, Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie and Chairman of the St. Elizabeth Parish Council and Mayor of Black River Everton Fisher also signed an agreement for the procurement of Fire Trucks.

According to Minister McKenzie, “These trucks will be used within the parish, and they will go a long way with respect to the institutional capacity building of the Council, particularly its Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management capabilities.”

Mayor Fisher noted that this is a satisfying for the Council. “We drafted the proposals and we were elated when the Japanese Government advised us of its approval. The Japanese have had a close relationship with Jamaica and, especially, the Local Authorities. We are pleased with this development and look forward to the deepening of our relationship with the Government and people of Japan.”

The Government of Japan last donated two ambulances and two fire trucks to the Westmoreland Parish Council in December, 2014.

Local Government Minister outlines areas of focus for Local Authorities

Posted on March 18, 2016July 2, 2019

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie has emphasized that revenue collection will be one of the main areas of focus of the Ministry, in its drive to assist Local Authorities to finance a greater proportion of their operations and service delivery responsibilities.

At a special introductory meeting today, involving senior officials of the Ministry and the Secretary Managers of the Local Authorities at the Ministry’s corporate headquarters, Minister McKenzie expressed his desire to see improved compliance with the existing regime of fees and taxes. “This government is driven by the need to create economic growth, and Local Government will have a critical contribution to make to national growth and development. We can enhance and significantly improve the quality and extent of the services we provide to our citizens, without being a drain on central government, if we collect outstanding fees and taxes”.

The Minister identified Market rehabilitation, the establishment of an efficient network of streetlights, the improvement of Infirmaries and public cemeteries as important areas for enhanced service delivery.

“People expect us to deliver more and better local services, while at the same time ensuring that we do not fall afoul of the laws relating to the functioning of Local Government. This is a time when our Local Authorities will have to demonstrate their operational efficiency, in this new dispensation of governance.”

In this regard, the Minister noted that a series of meetings will also be held with Mayors, sitting and aspiring Councillors, to fully educate them about the provisions and implications of the recently passed Three Strategic Laws for the reform of Local Government. These are the Financing and Financial Management Act, the Local Governance Act and the Unified Service and Employment Act.

Desmond McKenzie appointed Minister of Local Government

Posted on March 7, 2016July 2, 2019

Former Mayor of Kingston, and Opposition Spokesman on Local Government, Mr. Desmond McKenzie M.P., is now the Minister of Local Government.

Following the change of government through the General Election of February 25, 2016, Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has just announced at the Swearing-In of Cabinet Ministers at Kings House, that Minister McKenzie will continue the process of structural change to the Local Government system.

The Prime Minister also announced that strong emphasis will be placed on business development, and the improvement of business processes at the local level, with a view to making Local Government contribute strongly to national development.