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Excerpts from Hon Noel Arscott’s contribution to the 2013/2014 Sectoral Debate

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Excerpts:
Mr. Speaker, this debate comes against the background of a recognition that Jamaica is at a tipping point. A point where we must make difficult decisions. A point where bold and visionary political leadership is required from all stakeholders. A point where the private sector must become more involved and raise themselves to the highest standards of ethics and compliance, and become a part of the solution. A point at which the Jamaican people must understand that for every right we enjoy, there are corresponding responsibilities. …pg 9
The key plank of the reform agenda is the promulgation of three (3) strategic laws – The Local Governance Act, The Local Government Financing and Financial Act, and The Local Government (Unified Services and Employment) Act.  The draft Cabinet Submission in respect of these three Laws was circulated and reviewed, and adjusted based on comments from the Attorney General (AG), the Legal Reform Department, the Ministry of National Security, the Ministry of Finance and Planning, and the Police High command.  Mr. Speaker, after seventeen years, hundreds of consultations, and the hopes and aspirations of thousands of people, I am pleased to report that a Submission relating to these laws has been sent to Cabinet requesting approval for the issuing of drafting instructions to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel. …pg 14

Our commitment is to ensure improved quality of service in terms of consistency, effectiveness and efficiency of delivery. Mr. Speaker there are no two ways about it, despite the challenging times we face we must make the effort to improve our local services as our consumers are far more discerning and demanding of quality. Nothing is wrong with that; we all want a Jamaica that is comparable to the best places to which we have travelled. We want Jamaica to be the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business. But, Mr. Speaker, the stark reality is that it cannot be done without the necessary revenues…. Mr. Speaker, we have worked closely with the Ministry of Finance and Planning along with other stakeholders to develop a combination of measures aimed at improving the compliance rate for property tax collections…  pg 45

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Solid Waste Management & Public Cleansing, top priority for Local Government.

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Addressing a group of thirty one graduating environmental wardens during a ceremony held on Wednesday June 5, 2013, Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development, the Honourable Colin Fagan affirmed the importance of safeguarding the environment by adhering to proper waste management and public cleansing practises.
The State Minister told the graduates that he was pleased that they had taken the decision to lead the charge of protecting the environment by choosing to be properly educated on the subject. He said that while the onus has been placed on the environmental wardens to apply the expertise they now have to taking care of their environs and entreating others to follow suit, they were not alone in their quest. “The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development have embarked on a number of initiatives to deal with the proper disposal of solid waste and public cleansing”, he told the audience at the function.
He addressed the number of environment issues faced by Jamaica and the impact of improper waste disposal stating that “a contaminated environment can be very hazardous, especially to an individual’s health; causing several diseases and ailments”. He said it was for this reason that that the Ministry has made Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing, one of its top priorities for the 2013-2016 period.
Minister of State Fagan encouraged the wardens to persevere against the many challenges they will face in performing their duties and to seek to get as many communities as possible involved in practising appropriate environmental safety such as recycling and reusing, “I am sure with a little more education on the subject, we will see an increase in the number of persons adhering to these practices” he added.
He also implored members of the public to support the efforts of the Ministry and the environmental wardens pointing out that community participation was very important in ensuring the success in these endeavours.
The environmental warden training programme was developed by the National Solid Waste Management Authority in conjunction with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund.

Enforcement of Municipal Regulations Boosted – New municipal police officers encouraged to be fair and impartial

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With the certification of 35 new Municipal Police Officers on May 31, 2013 the capacity of Local Authorities to enforce municipal laws and regulations, maintain law and order in and around town centres, improve revenue generation and manage disaster relief efforts have increased.
The graduates of the eleventh (11th) training session since the re-establishment of the municipal police training programme in 2008 were reminded of the important role they play by guest speaker Mr Robert Rainford, Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development. “Your duties are important to the success of your Local Authority and your parish” he stated adding that the functions outlined above impact the live and development of the community.
PS Rainford told the graduates that they were an important part of the local government system and that in performing their functions effectively they would be contributing to the improvement of community governance. “It is only by everyone playing their part, participating in the governance of their communities that we can achieve true and lasting growth” he said.
Mr Rainford implored the graduates to be steadfast in their duties, ignore the aggression of the persons they will encounter and resist the temptation to look the other way.   He also reminded them that graduation does not signal the end of learning and there is much to be learnt on the job, “..take what you have learnt apply it in your daily lives, apply your innate intelligence when executing your duties and serve with humility not brute force”.
Candidates for the Municipal Police training programme, conducted in collaboration with the Jamaica Constabulary Force at the JCF training college, are recommended by the local authorities and deployed to those jurisdictions once their training is completed.  Municipal police officers are trained over a four-six weeks period in areas such as
·         Roles and Responsibilities of the Local Authority
·         Code of Ethics
·         Building Act and Compliance
·         Property Tax Act and Compliance
·         National Solid Waste Management (NSWMA) and Compliance
·         Powers of Arrest and Safe Encounter
·         Statement Writing
·         Conflict Management
·         Stress Management

Among other topics.

Minister of State Colin Fagan Endorses JFB’s Labour Day Project

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Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development, this afternoon congratulated the Jamaica Fire Brigade on plans for National Labour Day May 23, 2013.
The Jamaica Fire Brigade will be partnering with Berger Paints and Sunlight Windows and Doors to refurbish the Portmore Fire Station. Total value of donations and works is estimated at just over J$1.5M. Berger Paints have committed to providing all the paint and painting equipment needed while Sunlight Windows and Doors will supply and install windows on the ground floor of the building. Mayor George Lee has also committed $20,000.00 from the Municipal Council to assist in the efforts.
The Minister of State and MP for the South East St Catherine constituency in which the fire station is located, said the work to be done on Labour Day will not only improve the comfort level of the fire fighters but will also go a far way in preparing the fire station for the programmes he will be seeking to implement in the near future.
“.. it is my intention to revamp the homework programme started some years ago and I will be starting a youth core fire fighting brigade and marching band to be housed at this station” MP Fagan said.
He thanked the sponsors on the project as well as other corporate entities and individuals who have assisted the JFB in the past, particularly those who contributed to the refurbishing of the Santa Cruz and Trench Town Fire stations.
Minister of State Fagan also encouraged other citizens to catch the community spirit and go out and lend a hand on Labour Day.

Small Local Government Delegation attends CLGF Forum in Kampala May 14-17

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On the invitation of the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, Minister of Local Government and Community Development the Honourable Noel Arscott has left the island to attend the seventh CLGF Conference in Kampala, Uganda.
The Minister will be supported by a 2-man technical team comprising his executive assistant, and the Local Government Reform Project Manager. The size of the delegation was deliberately kept small in order to contain the cost of the undertaking.
The 2013 CLGF conference being hosted by the Government of Uganda, will explore decentralization as a strategy for ensuring that development meets the needs of local communities while providing opportunities for interaction with international development partners (funding agencies) such as UNDP and EU among others.   Discussions will be contextualized under the theme “Developmental Local Government – putting local government at the heart of development”.
Jamaica is a long standing member of the CLGF and has always been invited to participate in its bi-annual conferences.  The sitting president of the Association of Local Government Authorities Jamaica (ALGAJ) is also a regular participant fully sponsored by the CLGF. The Minister of Local Government & Community Development who is a Board member of the Commonwealth Local Local Government Forum, Chairman of the Caribbean Local Government Forum of Ministers (CLGFM) and Co-Chairman of the Programme Steering Committee of Caribbean Local Economic Development Programme (CARILED), is expected to make a presentation on Thursday, May 16 at 9:00 a.m. He will be speaking on the topic Developmental local government: providing leadership for social development and economic growth.
The Ministerial team will also make an official visit to South Africa, at the invitation of the South African Government, from May 19-24, 2013, where a third member, consultant on Local Government Reform will join the group.
Also attending the seventh CLGF conference is the Vice President of ALGAJ and Her worship, the Mayor of Kingston.

Minister Arscott calls upon citizens to prepare for Hurricane season

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Minister of Local Government & Community Development the honour Noel Arscott is urging the public to be prepared for the approaching hurricane season.
Minister Arscott was speaking at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management’s (ODPEM) official launch of Hurricane and Disaster preparedness Months, observed in May and June respectively.  The launch took place on on May 1, 2013.
The Minister endorsed the theme adopted by the ODPEM, “Plan for Disaster in Advance, Give yourself a Fighting Chance”, pointing to the fact that weather partners around the world are constantly changing and unpredictable occurrences are becoming more frequent across the region. He urged persons to ‘give themselves a fighting chance’ by taking ODPEM’s messages seriously.
The Local Government Minister also charge other entities under his portfolio, the Jamaica Fire Brigade, and the Social Development Commission, to play there part in circulating the messages throughout the local communities.
The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency management will be embarking on an intense public education campaign to educate persons about disaster preparedness.

Minister Arscott Support St James Parish Council’s backing of Mo Bay Night Out

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Regarding the matter of the St James Parish Council contributing to the staging of Montego Bay Night Out, the Honorable Noel Arscott, Minister of Local Government and Community Development is in full support of Councils taking necessary steps to facilitate local economic development in their parishes. This is an integral part of the Local Government Reform process.
The Montego Bay Night Out is a joint venture between the St. James Parish Council and the business community and is aimed at resuscitating businesses in the Gloucester Avenue area popularly referred to as the “Hip Strip”. The event involves the participation of over thirty (30) vendors including craft vendors, five to ten thousand (5,000 – 10,000) patrons including tourists who leave their hotels and spend with the locals and sponsorship from two of Jamaica’s major beverage companies. It is projected to break even. However, the additional benefits derived from the economic activities for the small business operators and the cultural benefit from the exposure of the tourists represent a good example of the Government working together with the business community to enhance local economic development.
As it relates to the accusations levied against the Montego Bay Mayor that he handed out $20,000 to each councilor for the purchasing of bun and cheese during the Easter holiday season, Mayor Harris has assured Minister Arscott that there is no truth to these accusations. He explained that each Councilor was given an allotment to conduct work in their divisions. When the work is done the superintendent of works would do the verification and make the necessary recommendation for payment after which the necessary cheques are drawn to suppliers.   Mayor Harris has also affirmed that there is no basis to the claims as the activities and payment procedures are in keeping with established practice and procedure .

Mayor Harris Not Opposed to renaming of Cornwall Regional Hospital says Min Arscott

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Minister of Local Government, Honourable Noel Arscott is this morning advising that the mayor of St. James is by no means opposed to the renaming of the Cornwall Regional Hospital.
“I have spoken to Mayor Harris and he has assured me that his intent was misunderstood” said Minister Arscott.
In June of 2010 a resolution to rename the Cornwall Regional Hospital, the Dr. Herbert Eldermire Regional Hospital was sent by the St. James Parish Council to the Minister responsible for Local Government, who then referred it to the Ministry of Health. The then Minister of Health, Mr. Rudyard Spencer approved the renaming. This decision was and still is fully supported by the St. James Parish Council. Since the resolution has been gazetted, the St. James Parish council has sought to obtain a date for the ceremony from the body with responsibility for this activity, the Western Regional Health Authority; but numerous attempts have proven futile.

“Contrary to reports in the media, Mayor Harris was not trying to block the renaming exercise” Minister Arscott added.

There is still no date set for the ceremony; however, Minister Arscott said he has the assurance of the Mayor that the St James Parish Council stands ready, as has always been the case, to give its full support in the staging of the event.

Portland Has Not Been Ignored

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The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development wishes to dismiss any misguided notion that the Ministry has paid scant regard to the parish of Portland in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
Despite the current global financial crisis and the tight fiscal space in which the Government must operate, the Ministry under the leadership of the Honourable Noel Arscott has been doing its utmost to address the needs of all Local Authorities.
 The Ministry is particularly cognizant of the difficulties experienced in the eastern parishes which were hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy last October. Consequently, substantial financial input has been made to aid the Parish Councils of St Mary, St Thomas and Portland in their recovery efforts. The Ministry allocated to the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) the sum of $8M for each of those parishes to effect cleanup activities in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane. There was also intervention through the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to the tune of $35M to support parish level relief operations. Additionally, a total of $40.0M was allocated to Local Authorities in December 2012 for special work programmes.
In respect of the Portland Infirmary, an estimate of $1.5m was received from the Council for rehabilitation work to be done to the infirmary and the Ministry has since made an allocation of $1.5M. That cheque, dated March 28, 2013, was picked up early last week. An allocation has been made in the 2013/14 budget for repairs to the Portland Infirmary along with three (3) others.

Local Government Recognizes Individuals and Organizations for their work with the Poor

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The Board of Supervision (BOS), a department of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, held its inaugural Awards and Recognition ceremony on Wednesday March 27, 2013 at the Cardiff Hotel in St Ann’s Bay to recognize organizations and individuals who have made significant contribution to its work with the poor in Jamaica.
Minister of Local Government & Community Development the Honourable Noel Arscott, who delivered the main address on behalf of Prime Minister the Most Honourable Portia Simpson Miller, began by stating that the Prime Minister regretted not being able to attend the event as the care and wellbeing of the poor is near and dear to her heart.   The Minister also expressed Mrs Simpson Miller’s acknowledgement of the Board of Supervision as an organization which exemplifies one of the main pillars of effective local governance, that is, care, concern and relief of the poor.
He stated that the government was mindful of the needs of the poor and vulnerable in society and these were major considerations in the development of the national economic policy; Adding that we all have a role to play in caring for the poor.
During the ceremony some eighty individuals and organizations were recognized for their roles and were awarded for meritorious, exemplary and invaluable contribution to the work of the Board. Master of Ceremony and Chairman of the Board of the BOS, the Most Hon Professor Denise Eldemire Shearer, said she was pleased to see the staging of an event of this nature as the agency cannot fulfil its mandate without the input of the numerous persons who give of themselves, their time and material to assist the poor. She expressed great hope for the continuation of selfless giving and said that the BOS would endeavour to acknowledge these acts on an annual basis.
The Board of Supervision is a statutory body which was established under the Poor Relief Act to supervise and monitor the delivery of the Poor Relief service performed by the Parish Councils and KSAC. It monitors the provision of residential, socio economic and health care for needy clients as well as the provision of shelter, care and protection for homeless people.