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UN Under-Secretary General Arrives in the Island Today to attend Sixth MIAH Meeting being hosted by the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development

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Mrs. Valerie Amos, United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, arrived in the island today, Thursday, October 17, 2013 to attend the Sixth Regional Meeting on International Mechanisms for Humanitarian Assistance (MIAH) for Latin American and Caribbean States. The Sixth MIAH Meeting is being held at the Jamaica Conference Centre, from October 16 to 18, 2013 under the theme “Strengthening Public and Private Partnerships, towards a common Regional Platform for Humanitarian Action”.
The Under Secretary General (USG) is here mainly to co-chair, alongside Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade the Honourable A. J. Nicholson, a high level segment of the MIAH Meeting on day three of the conference. This segment will be limited to Ministers of Foreign Affairs from participating countries. Prior to attending the meeting the Under Secretary General (USG) will pay a courtesy call on the Minister of Local Government & Community Development and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
The Sixth MIAH is being hosted by Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Local Government / Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Minister Noel Arscott delivered the keynote address during the opening ceremony yesterday, Wednesday, October 16, 2013 to one hundred and twenty (120) participants from over twenty five (25) countries.
This is the first time that the MIAH meeting is being held in the Caribbean. Meetings were previously held in Mexico (2008), Brazil (2009), Argentina (2010), Ecuador (2011) and Panama (2012).
MIAH is the acronym for the Spanish, Mecanismos Internacionales de Assistencia Humanitaria .

Minister Arscott welcomes Regional Meeting on International Mechanisms for Humanitarian Assistance (MIAH) to Jamaica

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The Government of Jamaica, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), will host the Sixth Regional Meeting on International Mechanisms for Humanitarian Assistance (MIAH) for Latin American and Caribbean States under the theme “Strengthening Public and Private Partnerships, towards a common Regional Platform for Humanitarian Action”. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston from October 16 to 18, 2013.
This meeting aims to bring together representatives of Ministries of Foreign Affairs, civil protection and civil defence agencies with, sub-regional, regional and global humanitarian actors. Together participants will establish and strengthen coordination and response mechanisms to address humanitarian needs in responding to disasters in the region.
MIAH meetings have become an important initiative in the Latin America and the Caribbean region for dialogue among the humanitarian community and an opportunity to share experiences and good practices, as well as, strengthen alliances that are crucial during emergency response.Meetings have been held in Mexico (2008), Brazil (2009), Argentina (2010), Ecuador (2011) and Panama (2012). The Sixth Meeting of the MIAH will be of special significance as this is the first time that the meeting will be held in a Caribbean country.
The Minister of Local Government and Community Development, the Honourable Noel Arscott affirmed that the MIAH meeting provides  an excellent platform for dialogue and exchange of information new tools and initiatives towards strengthening relationships between states, regional organizations and humanitarian partners. “The Ministry of Local Government & Community Development is very pleased to be hosting the meeting and we expect Jamaica to benefit from the collective knowledge and expertise of our Latin American and Caribbean counterparts”, he added.
The Regional Meeting on International Mechanisms for Humanitarian Assistance is an initiative promoted by Latin America and Caribbean countries with the support of OCHA’s regional office, which aims to strengthen partnership and the collaborative efforts in the Regions  to promote a more integrated approach to humanitarian assistance.
International Mechanisms for Humanitarian Assistance  is the English translation of the Spanish  Mecanismos Internacionales de Assistencia Humanitaria – MIAH.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FRATERNITY DEEPLY SADDENED BY THE PASSING OF MAYOR GEORGE LEE

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The Ministry of Local Government & Community Development, and indeed the entire local government fraternity, is deeply saddened by the passing of His Worship, the Mayor, Mr.  George Lee.
Mr. Lee, who was serving his second stint as Mayor of Portmore, was the first elected Mayor of the 10 year old Municipality. He was first elected Mayor in 2003, and again in 2012.  He also served as councillor for Greater Portmore North Division in the St Catherine Parish Council for 4 years and 10 months from September 10, 1998.
Minister of Local Government & Community Development, the Honourable Noel Arscott says that Jamaica has lost an effective and dedicated public servant who was committed to the ideal of governance by the people.
His colleagues in the Portmore Municipal Council describe him as a strong leader, who was very serious about the work of the Council and his vision for Portmore.   In both his terms as Mayor, Mr. Lee engaged the Portmore Citizens Advisory Council (PCAC) to ensure the practice of effective citizens’ participation was reflected in the governance of the Municipality. Mayor Lee sought to ensure that there was full transparency and accountability in all policy matters of the Council, and that all citizens groups were informed and involved in the development of medium and long term strategic initiatives for Portmore.
He played a critical role in the programmes and projects of the Social Development Commission, twinning arrangements between the Municipality and  local and international development partners as well as building partnerships with public and private entities. He was also a major proponent of issues related to citizen safety and security having led the establishment of Portmore’s Parish Safety & Security Committee (PSSC) in partnership with the Ministry and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
George Lee will be remembered for his unstinting service to local government and as an indisputable champion and lead negotiator for the development of the Portmore Municipality, an advocate for the transformation of local government, good governance, and a crusader for the sustainable development of Portmore. The Citizens of Portmore in general, and the PCAC in particular, have therefore lost a key advocate for the positive transformation of their communities.
 The Ministry extends condolences to his wife, Anita and family, the staff and political directorate of the Council, citizens of Portmore, the members of the local government family and those who are affected by this loss and wishes for all God’s comfort during this time of bereavement.

Local Elected Officials Sensitized on their Role in the Local Economic Development Programme

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The Caribbean Local Economic Development (CARILED) team held a sensitization session for local elected officials at the UWI Regional Head Quarters on Thursday, September 26, 2013.The 1-day local governance symposium was aimed at introducing elected officials to the concept of Local Economic Development (LED) and to sensitize them to their roles.
The symposium represents one of several fora and workshops planned as part of the CARILED 2103 -2014 work plan. With the completion of the selection process for Local Economic Development Officers (LEDOs), placed in the six areas in which CARILED is being piloted, several start-up activities have been engaged. These included visits to the specific parishes where presentations were made to the CARILED team on their priority Local Economic Development Projects.   On the latest Mission accompanied by Canadian volunteers, priority projects previously identified are being evaluated and work has commenced in reviewing data related to Economic Profiles of the various parishes.
Speaking during the opening of the symposium Minister of Local Government & Community Development congratulated the sponsors for their foresight in designing the intervention, which he says is very timely as the Role of Elected Officials who have responsibility for the policy framework in Local Government is critical in any initiative that promotes Local Economic Development. “We cannot speak of Local Economic Development without recognizing the role of local government in coordinating local development strategies for promoting economic opportunities” he said.
CARILED is a six-year project being implemented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) in partnership with the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF), the Caribbean Association of Local Government Authorities (CALGA) and the Caribbean Federation of Local Government Ministers (CFLGM). The project is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Development, Canada (DFATD) and is focused on stimulating sustainable local economic development (LED) in the Caribbean region. Jamaica is one of seven Caribbean countries selected to benefit from the Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (CARILED).
Jamaica is one of the seven (7) Caribbean countries to benefit from CARILED project.The areas select to pilot the project in Jamaica are Kingston & St. Andrew, St. Catherine, Portmore, Clarendon, Manchester and Westmoreland.

South African Minister and eight member Delegation visits Jamaica

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Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in South Africa, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli and his eight-member Delegation arrived in the island yesterday and are expected to remain in the island until Friday September 20, 2013. The South African Minister and his Delegation are here in response to the visit to South Africa earlier this year of Minister Noel Arscott of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development in fulfilment of a commitment to strengthen ties between both countries.
In an effort to boost economic growth the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is pursuing Local Economic Development (LED) as a key initiative that will help with the issue of poverty reduction and job creation to foster economic growth and development; and South Africa is known as a pioneer in Local Economic Development (LED).
During this visit the delegation will hone in on the following areas for LED to aid in the crafting of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two (2) countries:
·         More effective exploitation of mineral spas and other outstanding local phenomena and heritage.
·         Non-traditional forms of tourism;
·         Use of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) especially the method of attracting private investors from South Africa;
·         Creation of Special Development Agencies as vehicles for promoting and facilitating LED projects;
·         Policy Development and training of LED officials.
The delegation will aid in the fostering of greater ties between the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica (ALGAJ) through a Memorandum of Cooperation among other initiatives.
As a result of this trip by the South African delegation, the Government of Jamaica can expect assistance with shaping and implementing our own  LED policy and program.

Ministry responds to the Special Report by the Contractor General on shops built in the Spalding Market

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The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development acknowledges the report of the Office of the Contractor General in regards to the Special Statutory Investigation – concerning the building of shops at the Spalding Market. The Ministry, however, had conducted its own investigations and a report was completed in June 2013. The Ministry took the informed decision to delay the publication of its findings, so as to not, in any way, interfere with the investigations of the Contractor General. Though thorough in its investigations, the Ministry did not have access to some files as these were already requisitioned by and in the custody of the Contractor General. We duly want to note the areas of overlap between our own recommendations and those of the Contractor General.
These include:
1.      The Ministry’s investigation unearthed breaches and critical issues relating to governance, financial management and accountability. In this regard the recommendation is for all members of Council to be more vigilant, proactive and rigorous in their approach and attitude towards Council business.
2.      The employment of internal control measures to ensure full compliance with the guidelines and laws which currently exist in keeping with the Contractor General’s recommendation for the development of an accountability framework.
3.      Rigorous monitoring and inspections with the emphasis on increasing the frequency and intensity of special audits in the Local authority. Specifically, the Ministry has recommended a forensic audit of the Clarendon Parish Council while the Contractor General has referred the matter to the Auditor General to conduct a review of the operations of the Clarendon Parish Council.
4.      A more coordinated approach and plan in implementing projects which involve other agencies, programs and stakeholders including the citizens and Members of Parliament. Implicit in this would be recognition of the separation of the role of Council and the Member of Parliament.
5.      Observation of dereliction of duty on the part of officers of the Council.
Since completing the report, the Ministry has taken the following actions in an effort to efficiently implement the recommendations contained therein:
1.      The Ministry’s internal Audit Unit is currently undertaking a special audit in the Clarendon Parish Council.
2.      The matter has been referred to the Financial Investigations Division for a forensic audit to be conducted.
3.      We have taken steps to establish an audit network to review accounting and audit practices, and make recommendations to the Local Authorities.
4.      Identification and prioritization of accounting, audit and specialized technical services as shared services for implementation in the Local Authorities as is proposed in the policy governing the Strategic Laws.
5.      The report has also been formally referred to the Office of the Contractor General, the Parish Councils Services Commission, the Auditor General’s Department and the Attorney General’s Chambers.
The Ministry also takes note of the Office of the Contractor General’s additional recommendations and is working to implement such:
·         Recommendation for an accountability framework;
·         Disciplinary action against officers of the Clarendon Parish Council;
·         Recovery of the cost of electricity;
·         Review by the Auditor General of Financial Operations, Accounting Systems and practices of the Clarendon Parish Council.
With respect to the Referrals to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions we await the outcome.

Proper Building Practises key to more Disaster Resilient Society- Hon Noel Arscott

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Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of hurricane Gilbert, the Honourable
Noel Arscott Minister of Local Government & Community Development said proper building practises as well as heeding warnings are essential in mitigating hurricane damage.
 Recounting the devastating impact of Hurricane Gilbert on September 12, 1988, Minister Arscott said that while a combination of factors contributed to the extent of the damage suffered across the island, poor construction practises was a major cause. He cited the practise of building in unsafe areas, poorly constructed roofs and failure to get the required building approvals as issues of concern. “We have to ensure the structural integrity of our buildings”, he said charging Parish Councils to ramp up their efforts to get persons to adhere to the rules and regulations set out in the Building
Act.
Addressing the importance of disaster mitigation to economic prosperity the Local Government
Minister pointed to the work being done by the Ministry to strengthen this area. He said that the
amendments being made to the Building Act are now with the Chief Parliamentary Council and it is hoped that the Bill will be passed by March 2014. He also spoke to the Disaster Risk
Management Bill that is being pursued by the Ministry.
Hurricane Gilbert was the first hurricane to hit Jamaica directly since hurricane Charlie in 1951.

State Minister Colin Fagan Attends Summit in China

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The Honourable Colin Fagan, Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development, left the island on Sunday, September 1st, 2013 to attend two (2) international summits in China.
The State Minister received an official invitation from the government of China, to attend the 3rd Global Economic Leaders’ Summit (GELS) 2013, in Changchun city, Jilin province from September 4- 6, 2013 and the 2ND International Culture Industry Summit (ICIS 2013) in Lanzhou city, Gansu province from September 6 -8, 2013. Minister Fagan leads the charge to establish town centers across the island, and as such the Chinese Government saw it fit to have the Minister’s input at this year’s summit. The themes for the summits are ‘Worldwide development experience of urbanization & Global cooperation opportunities of China’s urbanization’ and ‘The inheritance, innovation and global cooperation of the Chinese civilization’, respectively. About 600 political figures, world business leaders from Fortune 500 & Forbes 2000 companies, industry leaders, investors and bankers, Ministers, MPs, Governors, Mayors, authorities and world-renowned economists & scholars from more than 80 countries are set to be present at the summit.
State Minister Fagan will be the Keynote speaker for one of the round table sessions set to take place on the second day of the first summit; he will make a presentation on Urbanization and International Investments. While in China the Minster is also expected to conduct a tour of the Fire Station in Changchun City and meet with the Provincial Chief where he will discuss matters of Local Economic Development (LED) and other matters concerning Local Government and Community Development. Minister Fagan is expected to return to the island on September 11, 2013.

Minster of State Fagan Touts Consultation as path to Good Governance

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The main community mobilization arm of the Ministry, the Social Development Commission (SDC), held a Development Area Committee (DAC) consultation in St Catherine on April 28, 2013 and Minister of State the Honourable Colin Fagan was on hand to deliver the main address.
Speaking to the community leaders the State Minister emphasized the importance of good public management as a component of good governance. In this respect he said that community leaders must understand the changing dynamics of their roles and make necessary changes in order to remain effective . “Leadership consultations such as these are vital tools to help you in directing, planning, controlling and leading those whom you serve at the community level”, he told participants.
He also lauded the SDC for their continued work in promoting community action and partnerships as an essential ingredient in the process of transforming local governance in Jamaica. “We can’t overemphasize the role of community development, partnership and consultation in the local government reform process” He said.
Minister of State Fagan went on to highlight strides made by the government in the local government revitalization process. He spoke about the strengthening of the Local Government Reform Unit, the move to give recognition to PDCs DACs CDC in the Local Governance Act and the completion of the review of Portmore Municipal Council.
He also mentioned some of the new initiatives of the Ministry including the Local Economic Development programme (LED) designed to stimulate economic activity in communities, and the parish safety and security programme which has made significant strides in developing the awareness of Parish partners in the area of crime prevention and security in the six pilot parishes, which includes St Catherine.
Fagan assured the St Catherine community leaders that more consultations would be done to fully engaging the participatory machinery that underpin the local government reform and revitalisation process. He also commended St. Catherine on the work its PDCs and DACs saying that ‘where some parishes lag behind you are a trailblazer’.

The SDC’s Development Area Committee consultation is one of many consultations hosted by the agency on an on-going basis to foster good community relations and galvanize support around local and national issues.

New Temporary Home Opened for Montego Bay Firefighters

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On Wednesday, August 28, 2013 Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development the Honourable Colin Fagan, opened temporary facilities for fire fighters from the Barnett Street fire station in Freeport Montego Bay, St James.
Minister of State Fagan in declaring the facilities opened explained that while the Ministry was seeking to build a permanent structure at the Barnett Street location there could be no delay in finding a suitable location from which to operate a fire station for the city of Montego Bay. “After visiting the facilities last year, I immediately decided to organize a task force that would aid in finding solutions to the problems that persisted for many years” he pronounced.
The solution which the team came up with comprises two (2) retrofitted forty (40) foot containers that have been equipped with all the equipment and comfort that the servicemen and women need in order to perform their vital functions effectively.
While the State Minister could not give a commitment as to the date when the permanent structure would be ready he reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to upgrading the island’s fire stations incrementally. He pointed to work that was recently done at the Port Royal Fire station – The removal of their asbestos contaminated roof-, as well as, the Trench Town fire station. He added that pans are in place for work to commence on the Savanna La Mar fire station shortly.  He implored the firefighters not to be daunted the by challenges they face, but instead be encouraged and continue to provide the excellent service that they have been providing us with for so many years.