Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer

Allen (left) and Kerr-Jarrett (right)

WESTERN BUREAU:

Stakeholders in Montego Bay, St. James, have called for the Western Regional Office of the Prime Minister to take on a more effective role in dealing with developments in the west.

The call was made at a Gleaner Editors' Forum, organised to examine the role of local authorities in development, held in Montego Bay, on Wednesday.

Disconnected

"Sometimes we feel disconnected from the Government, so we welcome the idea. But I would like to see a political head there, such as a minister in charge of regional affairs, so that it can give us some leverage in the west to the halls of power that reside in Kingston," commented O. Dave Allen, chairman of the Community Organisation for Management and Sustainable Development (COMAND).

Mr. Allen said he understood that the Prime Minister's western office was being limited by a staff shortage in its ability to effectively monitor developments in the region.

Proposal

Businessman Mark Kerr-Jarrett, chairman of the St. James Parish Development Committee, pointed out that a proposal had been put forward to have a government minister stationed at the OPM's regional office at least twice, monthly. However, this is yet to happen.

"I recall Minister (with responsibility for commerce) Philip Paulwell saying that he would spend two specific days in the office each month and this would not be a bad idea for all ministers to do the same," he suggested.

"We have been questioning for a long time, why is the Ministry of Tourism headquartered in Kingston, when Montego Bay is the tourism capital, with Ocho Rios and Negril within 40 minutes apart."