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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.

Staff Changes Implemented to Improve Operations at the National Solid Waste Management Authority

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The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) wishes to advise that effective 01stJanuary 2013, the following changes will take effect:
·         Mr. Percival Stewart will assume the position of Director of Operations. He will replace Colonel Allan Douglas who has proceeded on retirement.
·         Mr. Adrian Grant will be transferred to MPM Waste Management Limited as the Regional Operations Manager (ROM).
·         Mr. Washington Grant will be transferred to the NSWMA Enforcement and Compliance Division.
In addition, the Minister of Local Government and Community Development Honourable Noel Arscott has commenced discussion with the Ministry of Finance in an effort to secure funding for the deployment of additional trucks to collect and dispose of solid waste from various communities.
 The Minister has also instructed the MPM Waste Management Limited to have the Kingston Metropolitan Region and sections of Portmore that are in backlog cleaned and cleared within fourteen (14) days

NSWMA implements revised plan to clear garbabge pile up in Corporate Area and Portmore

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The MPM Waste Management Limited wishes to apologize for the delay in the collection of solid waste from some communities in the Kingston Metropolitan Region and sections of Portmore over the past week. This delay is caused by our inability to complete the collection cycle due to various reasons including mechanical problems being experienced by units from our hired fleet. The situation is further compounded by the increased volume of solid waste generated at social functions and family gatherings at this time of the year.
We have since reassessed the situation and have now implemented a revised plan that will include additional trips per unit, assigning new units and night collection. We anticipate that the backlog communities will be cleared in the coming days.
We are asking residents to ensure that their solid waste is placed on the outside of their premises for collection and also to contact the Community Relations Department toll free at 1 888 253 2652 or 448 3220 to get information on their scheduled collection day.

Local Government Minister Urges End to Littering- reminds public that littering is an offence

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Minister of Local Government & Community Development Hon Noel Arscott, has appealed to the public to dispose of their waste properly, and to be mindful of the environmental impact of improper garbage disposal.
Minister Arscott was speaking at a ceremony for the handing over of a donation of drums to the National Solid Waste Management Authority, on Thursday, December 20, 2012.
The Minister said that the act of littering was a thoughtless one in which too many indulged,   “the tossing of trash in the gullies, on the streets and out the windows of our cars, seems like a matter of reflex for most people” he said.
He purported that improper garbage disposal contributes to the extensive flooding often experienced during the rainy season. He added that the sums spent annually on drain cleaning could be significantly less if people did not litter.
The Minister also used the opportunity to appeal to citizens to be particularly conscious about the amount of waste they produce during the festive season. “It is a time of increased consumption and consequently increased waste generation” he said, pointing out that approximately 50% of all waste handled by the island’s landfills is bio-degradable.
“By compositing much of our household waste we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint and the demands on solid waste disposal services.” He added.
The Local Government Minister reminded the public that it was an offence to litter public spaces, break bottle or glass in a public space and to deposit litter in a private place without the consent of the owner and that persons who commit such offences will face penalties.
The National Solid Waste Management Authority received a total of 2000 drums from Jamaica bedding/Ojay Koolers for placement in Old Harbour, Spanish Town and May Pen.

Trench Town Fire Station Reopens: Task force formed to look at needs of Fire Stations Islandwide

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Minister of State Hon Colin Fagan announced the formation of a Task Force to look at addressing the needs of the Jamaica Brigade. The Honourable Minister made this announcement, at the re-opening of the Jamaica Fire Brigade station at Trench Town on December 20, 2012.
The Trench Town Fire station was closed after it was discovered that the roof contained asbestos.   With the Ministry of Local Government leading the way on this collaborative effort between the Jamaica Fire Brigade and civil society, the Trench Town Fire Station also underwent electrical, plumbing, floor and window repairs before it was reopened after being closed for several months.
In his address Minister Fagan highlighted the vital service that firefighters give to the nation and commended their efforts to do so under undesirable conditions.   As a result, he voiced the Ministry’s commitment to improving the working conditions of firefighters.
The Minister also acknowledged the contribution of Quality Dealers Ltd. who assisted by providing materials to refurbish the Fire Station and Mr. Gregory Cato who volunteered his roofing expertise. The Minister also commended the Brigade’s building officers for their keen oversight of the project.   The Minister revealed that this collaborative effort seen at Trench Town was also replicated in the refurbishing process of the Santa Cruz Fire Station, thus signaling the success of Local Governance at the local level.

This project was carefully monitored by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development to ensure that it was, kept in budget, completed in accordance to the Brigades Standards, Government of Jamaica Procurement Guidelines, and the regulations of the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC), and the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA).

Local Government marks International Human Rights Day with a Conference in Kingston.

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The main community development arm of the Ministry, the Social Development Commission, recognized Monday December 10, 2012 as International Human Rights Day by hosting its first conference on International Human Rights at the Jamaica Conference Center.   The objective of the conference was to educate community based organizations and citizens of their human rights as stipulated in the Jamaica Charter of Rights, Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Freedom.

 

Minister Colin Fagan, Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development supported the efforts of the Social Development Commission, in developing community based organizations (CBOs) awareness of human rights so that they can better advocate and protect citizens’ rights.

 

In his opening address Minister Fagan stated that the “treatment and preservation of basic human rights” is indicative to the progress of any nation.  He alluded to the society’s need to assess its progress towards goal 2 of Jamaica’s Vision 2030 program which seeks to ensure that the “Jamaican Society is secure, cohesive and just.”   He called for greater collaboration by the Jamaican society and greater effort by government to improve its ranking as it relates to our commitments under various international treaties to which we are signatories.

 

The Honourable Minister of State gave an overview of the Ministry’s efforts to improve human rights by providing equitable and quality community services such as Emergency Management; Disaster Relief; care to the poor and destitute.  He added that the Ministry is working to implement rules to facilitate social justice by ensuring equitable and holistic participatory governance through the Parish Development Committees, Community Development and other civil society groups.

 

Other presenters at the conference were Hon. Mark Golding, Minister of Justice and Opposition Spokesman on Justice Mr. Delroy Chuck.  Mrs. Jacqueline Samuels Brown, Attorney at   Law was guest speaker.