Mayors meet with Minister Arscott (sitting 3^rd left), Permanent Secretary, Sharon Crooks (sitting 3^rd right) & State Minister Colin Fagan(sitting 2^nd right) during an official meeting at the Ministry’s offices at 85 Hagley Park Road, Kingston as part of their first official engagement with the Ministerial team.
Seated in front row from left: Mayor of Morant Bay, Cllr. Marsha Francis, Mayor of Kingston, Cllr. Angela Brown-Burke, Mayor of Lucea, Cllr. Shernet Haughton. Standing in first row from left: Mayor of Port Antonio, Cllr. Benny White, Mayor of Portmore, George Lee, Mayor of Black River, Cllr. Everton Fisher, Mayor of Port Maria, Cllr. Levan Freeman, Mayor of Falmouth, Cllr. Garth Wilkinson, Mayor of St. Ann’s Bay, Cllr. Desmond Gilmore, Mayor of Savanna-la-mar, Cllr. Bertel Moore. Standing in back row from left: Mayor of Spanish Town, Cllr. Norman Scott & Mayor of May Pen, Cllr. Scean Barnswell .

Missing from photo are: Mayor of Mandeville, Cllr. Brenda Ramsay and Mayor of Montego Bay, Cllr. Glendon Harris.

Jamaica’s newly elected mayors and deputy mayors met with the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Noel Arscott and State Minister, Hon. Colin Fagan at the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development offices on Wednesday April 4, 2012.

The meeting was the first since the Local Government political officials were sworn in as Chairmen of their respective councils. The meeting was designed to facilitate face-to-face dialogue with the Ministerial team at which the mayors raised critical issues of local governance as well as outlined their vision for their parish.

In his charge to the political directorate of parish government, the Minister underscored the need for councils to operate in a transparent, responsive and responsible manner in approaching the issues of governance.

The Minister also used the opportunity to outline the current status and priority programmes of Local Government Reform.