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Minister Endorses Twinning of Portmore with German City

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Members of the Portmore Municipal Council accompanied representatives from the city of Hagen located in Germany on a courtesy call on the Minister of Local Government & Community Development on Tuesday, February 28, 2013. The German contingent, which consisted of the Deputy Mayor Dr. Christian Schmidt and two engineers, briefed Minister Arscott on their plans to twin with the Portmore Municipality in order to promote best practices between both cities in relation to climate change.

Both cities had agreed to cooperate within the framework of a project entitled “50 Municipal Climate Partnerships by 2015”. This agreement resulted from a Memorandum of Understanding with Engagement Global/Service Agency Communities in one World for Partnership in Climate Change, which seeks to establish a foundation for cities to collaborate with a view to develop best practices with respect to climate change.

The Minister was told of the activities that will be undertaken by the Hagen team during their one week visit.   These activities include identifying projects with the potential for renewable energy, green houses and other best practices. Min. Arscott was thrilled that through the municipal’s initiative they are the only English speaking Local Authority that is partnering in this climate change project.
The term ‘twin’ refers to links being formed between two cities with a view to have citizens share cultural and social activities and understanding. The link between twinned cities also allows economic co-operation which is mutually beneficial.

Clarendon Parish Council encouraged maximizing revenue activities

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Minister of Local Government and Community Development Honourable Noel Arscott continued his series of Council visits with a stop in Clarendon on Thursday, February 28, 2013. The Minister was accompanied by Minister of State Hon Colin Fagan, Permanent Secretary Robert Rainford and other technical officers from the Ministry.
As usual the session began with the Ministry representatives being welcomed by the leaders of the Council. His Worship the Mayor Scean Barnswell as well as Secretary/Manager Rowan Blake said they were pleased to have the team visit to share the programmes, accomplishments and challenges being experienced by the Council. The Councillors then brought to the Minister’s attention a number of issues affecting the parish, these related to the state of roads, drains, fire service and the need for portable water.
In his response, the Minister encouraged the Council to implement measures to maximize revenue activities as a way to supplement funding provided by the Ministry. The ability to fund their activities is an important element of the independence that is being sought for local authorities through the local government reform programme, and local authorities have been mandated to provide 40% of their funding from own source revenues.
He encouraged the staff and councillors to do all they can to move the parish from “a good parish and a good Council to a great Parish and a great Council.”
Continuing on the matter of revenues Minister Arscott indicated that Clarendon has only collected $90M in property taxes for the current tax period and has arrears of $632M. He urged councillors to inform citizens of the purpose of property taxes which includes paying for street lighting, garbage collection, beautification of public spaces and rehabilitation of parochial roads.   The Minister charged councillors to also remind citizens of their legal responsibility to pay their property taxes.
He also noted that the three transportation centres in May Pen, Spauldings and Chapleton, have the potential to generate significant income. “Each Transportation Centre will require an effective business plan and consultations with the key stakeholders to make them viable and sustainable” he advised.
The Minister notified the gathering that submissions made by the Council for financial assistance with plans to develop the May Pen Market and rehabilitate the infirmary, has been included in the Ministry’s Capital ‘A’ budget for 2013-2014. With respect to the Market he gave his assurance that “as soon as the funds are available, the project will be implemented”.
Minister Arscott also seized the opportunity to inform the gathering of the continuous work being done on local government reform programme particularly in the promulgation of the Strategic Laws and the organizational strengthening of LAs. He also spoke of the implementation of the Local Economic Development programme which will examine, identify and develop small and medium businesses.
So far this year the Minister and his team have visited Portland, St Thomas, St Catherine and Clarendon Parish Councils as well as the Portmore Municipal Council. The team will be calling on the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation on March 20, 2013.

Planting the seed of success for Local Governance – Parish Safety and Security Committees

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Minister of Local Government & Community Development, the Honourable Noel Arscott has congratulated the St Catherine Parish Council and key partners for their drive and determination in building safer communities and planting the seed of success for local governance.
The Minister extended this commendation while speaking at the Launch of the St Catherine Parish Council’s Parish Safety and Security Committee (PSSC), a product of the UNDP’s ‘Enhancing Civil Society Participation in Local Governance for Community Safety’ Project. The Launch took place at the St Catherine Parish Council on Thursday, February 14, 2013.
Minister Arscott said that the project has served to broaden the extent of the progress of the local governance reform process by incorporating the key issues of community safety and security.  He also noted that this was an important issue that has been left solely to the Police for too long.
He said that ‘we-the-People’ must act as a collective to find solutions to issues of crime and violence and ‘build bridges of sustainable peace and harmony that eventually lead to a gentler and more caring society’. It is in this regard that the Minister applauded the efforts of the St. Catherine Parish Council and its partners, the police, the Social Development Commissions, the Jamaica Fire Brigade, the Parish Development Committee and others, for their participation in the UNDP’s community safety project.
“The St Catherine Parish Council has stepped forward in a real way to take charge, provide leadership and support and ensure that it takes its place as the true seat of government of the Parish by exemplifying the main tenets of effective local governance”. He said.

Minister Fagan tells JFB graduates to continue the tradition of excellent service

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Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development, Hon. Colin Fagan was guest speaker at the Jamaica Fire Brigade’s (JFB) 2013 Graduation Ceremony for fire firefighters.   The ceremony was held on Wednesday February 6th, at the JFB’s training facility in Tower Isle St. Mary.
In his congratulatory speech Minister Fagan began by reminding the graduates that they were entering a career of service which is often times a hard and thankless vocation.   He spoke of the tradition of quality service of 142 year old institution that they were now a part of and of the Brigade’s drive to continually improve efficiency through the implementation of a modernization plan which includes refurbishing fire stations, expanding emergency fleet vehicles and enforcing standards of public safety among citizens. He told the graduates that they were a welcomed addition that was part and parcel of the improvement process.
The State Minister, encouraged the one hundred (100) new recruits to continually utilized what they learnt over the thirteen weeks of training regardless of the new experiences that they will have as these are “tried and proven methodologies that have been passed on to you”. He added that these training methods will prove invaluable in reducing the number of fire related deaths which currently stands at an average of forty one (41) persons annually.
He also conveyed to the graduates his confidence that their family and loved ones were proud of them and urged them to remain focus on the important things in life which include the many lives they will be saving and the countless others they will impact as firefighters.

Minister Arscott Addresses Issues facing the St Thomas Parish Council

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Minister of Local Government & Community Development the Honourable Noel Arscott, attended a special sitting of the St Thomas Parish Council yesterday Thursday, February 7, 2013 where he engaged in discussions with councillors, administrative heads and agency representatives on issues affecting the parish. He also toured several facilities including the site of the former Offices of the Council which was gutted by fire in 2004.
Minister Arscott sought to address a number of the issues which arose.  He spoke explicitly to the matter of parochial road repairs stating that he would be meeting with the Minister of Transport, Works and Housing to develop a strategy to address rehabilitation of the numerous parochial roads that are currently in a state of disrepair. He also addressed the issue of the construction of an administrative building for the council revealing that he has written to the Commissioner of Lands regarding acquisition of premises to the back of the transport centre. He said he was hopeful that this aspect of the process will be settled quickly so that construction plans can be put in place in short order.
While he sought to answer other questions relating to fire fighting, street lighting and water shortage, the Minister was keen to point out that the Council needed to improve its revenue intake in order to be in a better position to serve the people of St Thomas.   He suggested that one way in which this could be done is for Council to implement measures aimed at encouraging persons to pay their property taxes as St Thomas has $97M property tax arrears for the current financial year.
“I’m sure you could do a lot with that?” he said turning to chairman of the St Thomas Parish Council, Mayor Marsha Francis.
Continuing on the matter of revenues, the Minister echoed the sentiments expressed earlier by Mayor Francis that citizens should formulate ideas, develop project plans and seek funding to spur development in the parish.
The Local Government Minister further indicated that the manner in which the Council conducts its affairs could also contribute to enhancing the efficiency of the organization. He stated that the roles and functions of both the political and administrative arms of council should be clearly understood and that parish matters should be discussed in an open and respectful manner thereby improving Council’s image and relevance to its constituents. “This will further the mandate of this government with regards to accountability and transparency” he added.
Minister Arscott was on his second Council visit since the start of the year. He was in Portland two weeks ago and will be in St Catherine to meet with St. Catherine Parish Council and Portmore Municipal Council on Wednesday February 27, 2013.

Citizens of St Ann Encouraged to Participate in Parish Governance

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Speaking at a parish forum organized by the Social Development Commission on Wednesday, January 30, 2013, Minister of Local Government the Honourable Noel Arscott encouraged citizens to play a more active role in the governance of their communities.
The Minister told persons gathered at the St. Hilda’s High School in Brown’s Town that there are several avenues through which they can contribute to the decision making process in their local jurisdiction. He highlighted the necessity for citizens to work with the St. Ann Parish Development Committee as it is a vehicle to be utilized by them to strengthen community development.
He also pointed out the need for citizens to fulfill their responsibilities as it relates to paying their property taxes as these are important revenues for local government. The citizens were reminded that property tax revenues pay for services such as garbage collection, streetlighting and the maintenance of minor roads and green spaces. Minister Arscott told the gathering that the Property Tax Arrears for the parish of St. Ann is $494,348,295.16 for the current financial year.
Another avenue by which citizens could participate in the development of their communities the Minister said, was in the maintenance of a clean and healthy environment. He charged citizens of the parish to clean up their communities while notifying them of plans to revise anti-litter fines.   He said that people should take pride in their surroundings and expressed his aversion for persons who litter disposing their garbage in gullies and public spaces.
The Local Government Minister also took the opportunity to congratulate the Mayor, His Worship Cllr. Desmond Gilmore and the St Ann Parish Council on their efforts to improve citizens’ participation and collaboration in the affairs of the parish.   He noted the work being done through the St. Ann Inter Agency Network for Transforming Social Services (SAINTSS) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) lead project entitled “Enhancing Civil Society Partnership in Local Governance for Community Safety”. The latter forges partnerships between the Parish Council, the Police, the Jamaica Fire Brigade and the Social Development Commission (SDC) in an effort to combat crime and violence.
The Minister affirmed that these projects demonstrate the power of stakeholder participation adding that parish fora such as this are equally important mechanisms for people to communicate and give feedback on issues affecting them “as there can be people without Government; but there cannot be Government without the people”.
The main address at this gathering was delivered by the Prime Minster of Jamaica, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller. This was the fourth in a series of parish  Fora which begun in October 2012. The series is aimed at providing information on key aspects of national development relating to the Jamaican economy and governance issues, particularly at the local and parish levels. Other sessions have been held in St. Catherine, St. James and Clarendon.
Other officials who addressed the gathering included Dr. Dayton Campbell, MP North Western St. Ann, Sen. the Hon. Mark Golding, Minister of Justice and Dr. Dwayne Vernon, Executive Director Social Development Commission.

Portland P C must complete Parish Development Plan and improve property tax collection says Minister Arscott.

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During a visit to the Portland Parish Council on Wednesday, January 23, 2012, Minister of Local Government & Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott told the Council that they have the ability to address most of the problems being experienced in the parish. He explained that one way of doing this is through an established parish development plan and increased collection of property tax.

Minister Arscott charged the council to complete their Parish Development Plan in order to guide the physical and economic development of Portland. He further encouraged council to develop the tourism product by concentrating of the cruise ship industry as the parish of Portland has;”too rich a history not to capitalize on its tourism potential”. He cautioned however, that care must be taken to avoid destroying the environment in the process.

With regards to property tax collection, the Minister reminded the gathering that this is a major source of funding for local amenities,’you must find ways of boosting collection”; he directed the council. He also revealed that property tax collection in the parish is currently at 50% of the target. With this sizeable arrears of $ 142 M, the Portland Parish Council by increasing property tax collection would be able to place itself in a favourable position to increase its service delivery in the parish.

The Minister was addressing councillors and members of staff of the Portland Parish Council during the first in a series of visits which will see him visiting all the Local Authorities over a three month period. Minister Arscott will next be calling on the St. Thomas Parish Council on Wednesday February 6, 2013.

Ministry Launches Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative for Montego Bay

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The Honourable Noel Arscott yesterday launched the Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative (ESCI) for the city of Montego Bay.
The initiative, which is an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) venture, is designed to aid the sustainable development of Montego Bay; speaking at the ceremony Minister Arscott lauded the quality research and analysis that led to the production of documents pointing to the in-depth requirements to ensure that the City of Montego Bay is set on a path of progress and sustainability.
The Minister opened his presentation by thanking the IDB team and local agencies for the intensive and deliberate strategies that led to the launch of a very worthwhile initiative which he said not only complements the strides made in the local government reform process “but offers concrete long-term developmental tools for broader national development”.
While stating that he was particularly pleased to see that the project has a distinct focus on the effects of climate change to include sea level rise, water resource management etc. Minister Arscott suggested that greater focus be placed on Citizen Safety and Security, Public Order and Citizens’ Participation in the governance process in light of the peculiar issues negatively impacting the city of Montego Bay. He added that it was “critical that collaborative methods be sought under this project to assist in dealing with these issues.”
The ESCI employs a multidisciplinary approach to addressing the challenges facing the urban areas of Latin America and the Caribbean by integrating Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change, Urban Sustainability and Fiscal Sustainability & Governance. In 2011 the IDB launched a pilot test to develop the ESCI’s methodology in five cities, Montego Bay is among 11 cities added in 2012 following a field mission by the Bank to Jamaica in June 2012.
After various stakeholder consultations, the IDB team has identified the following as key priorities to be addressed in Montego Bay:
·                    Crime and security
·                    Coastal zone resilience including the preservation of ecosystems
·                    Urban planning and renewal
·                    Public spaces
·                    Waste management and sanitation
·                    Equitable/Balanced Development
·                    Other important topics such as risk management, broadband connectivity and fiscal sustainability
At the end of the IDB project the St James Parish Council will be presented with a sustainability plan that addresses these priorities.

Earthquake Unit gets US$30,000 from ODPEM

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The work of the Earthquake Unit at the University of the West Indies, Mona, in monitoring the country’s seismic activities, has been enhanced with a donation of US$30,000 by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).

The money, which will be used to facilitate the installation of four motion seismographs (accelerometers), was handed over on Monday (January 14), during a press conference to launch Earthquake Awareness Week 2013, at the ODPEM headquarters in Kingston.

Designed to measure high seismic activity, the motion seismographs will be located on buildings to help monitor the response of the building and other structures during major earthquakes, as well as provide ground motion information that can be used in site characterisation in major development projects. The devices will also provide pertinent information that can help to improve the characterisation of seismic vulnerability across the island.

According to an ODPEM press release, the installation of the device will complement the organisation’s mandate, along with its partners, towards achieving a high standard of readiness to high magnitude earthquakes.

Director General of ODPEM, Ronald Jackson, said the organisation’s assistance “will reap maximum benefit as these devices will build a network for improved data on the site specific behaviour of buildings, further informing the revision of the building codes.”

“That information will also go into the process of the contingency plans that the first responders develop from time-to-time to fully understand what is likely to happen in specific areas – what buildings will stand up, what buildings will fail, how many persons we will have to plan for in terms of casualties,” he said.

Head of the Unit, Dr. Lyndon Brown, said the equipment is important as “when earthquakes happen, we need instruments that can measure the whole event so that in the long term, we can have improved data for future research.”

“These are instruments that can measure the whole range of an earthquake – the very small to the very large earthquake – and these are very important for measuring the activity of faults, measuring the intensity and magnitude of earthquakes and help us in terms of understanding as much as we can, earthquakes and earthquake activity in Jamaica,” he said.

Dr. Brown thanked ODPEM for supporting “this movement towards improvement in terms of our earthquake resistance, helping us to understand more about earthquakes, helping us to improve our research, so that this can help future development in the country.”

Earthquake Awareness Week is being observed from January 20 to 26 under the theme: ‘7.8 Wi ready…Yuh Ready?’. – JIS

Local Government commences its energy saving initiative

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The Ministry’s energy management initiative which Minister Noel Arscott has consitently touted has began with the installation of ten (10) solar light emitting diode (LED) fixtures  in the community of Osbourne Store Clarendon on Tuesday January 8, 2013.

The installation of these lights forms part of a larger project resulting from an Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry and Green Energy RG LLC, a US based energy management company, to test alternate energy mechanisms within the Ministry’s offices and other Local Government facilities.

Addressing the media on location in Clarendon, Minister Arcott stated that the installtion of 5,000 LED lights should be completed by mid year after which an evaluation of the results would be done; the expectation is a twenty percent (20%) reduction in the Government’s streetlight bills. Areas to benefit from these LED lights are sections of Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Catherine and Clarendon.

Minister Arscott also announced that Green RG will be setting up a factory here in Jamaica to manufacture these light panels, thus providing jobs for the country.