WHITEHOUSE, WESTMORELAND:

Leader of the People's National Party, Portia Simpson Miller, yesterday said she was not campaigning for a general election but rather doing party duties.

In the same breath, however, the party's president indicated that if an election were called the PNP would be ready.

While addressing party supporters of the Whitehouse division in Westmoreland East, Simpson Miller said it was the time of year for the party to conduct divisional and constituency conferences leading up to the party conference in September.

"We are not campaigning for the general election, but if they ever make the mistake and ring the bell I will be ready to sound the trumpet," said Simpson Miller.

She advised councillors to pay attention to the education of the young people and to place emphasis on training, as there was talent among the youths that must be nurtured and developed.

The event was the divisional conference of the Whitehouse Division for which Valdence Gifford is the councillor and he, in his report, brought to the fore: road conditions; water and unemployment as the most pressing challenges.

- Dalton Laing

KINGSTON:

The Ministry of Agriculture's National Quarantine Station at Plumb Point, Palisadoes, has been closed to facilitate major repairs.

The renovation is expected to be completed within a five to six month time frame.

The closure means it will not be possible for the station to quarantine animals brought into the island for the 14-day period required by law.

The Ministry of Agriculture has apologised for any inconvenience the closure might cause and said they would ensure that the facility was available for service to the public in the shortest possible time.

For further information, please contact the ministry's Veterinary Services Division at (876) 977-2489 or (876) 977-2492.

- Contributed

KIRKVINE, MANCHESTER:

Some 90 student athletes, who excelled during the course of the present athletic season, and their respective coaches were honoured by Windalco at a special luncheon, hosted by the Employee and Community Relations Department at its Kirkvine Works plant, last Friday.

The company focused its generosity on high schools from the central region as well as the GC Foster College. Prominent among the audience were a lot of the names that had captured the headlines from the Boys' and Girls' Athletic Championship, Carifta and Penn Relays.

The list of notables included the Holmwood pair of Salcia Slack and Bobby Gaye Wilkins, Annastacia Leroy, Shillonie Calvert and coaches Jerry Holness (Manchester High), Dean Tomlin (Bellefield), Michael Dyke (Edwin Allen), Orin Gordon (Mile Gully) and Dinea Mahoney (St Jago).

Several teams which achieved distinction both here and abroad, notably Manchester's 4 x 800m, Edwin Allen's 4 x 100m, were also present.

- Richard Bryan

SPANISH TOWN, ST CATHERINE:

St Catherine's Parish Disaster Committee claims that persons are keen to become volunteers as 28 more have been added to the list of more than 100 that have been at the disposal of the committee.

According to parish disaster coordinator, Patricia Lewis, with the training of the additional personnel and another set to be trained in July, the committee is poised to effectively respond to cases, should there be a natural disaster.

Lewis claimed that there have also been meetings with the fire department, police, Ministry of Labour, Salvation Army, Poor Relief, Red Cross and other relevant groups.

She claimed, however, that the resources were low at this time but the volunteers were ready to work with whatever they had.

According to the coordinator, aside from the very young, senior citizens are vulnerable during natural disasters and, as such, workshops are being used to continue to sensitise them.

On Thursday, June 5, several senior citizens were exposed to the role the disaster committee would play when they need help during a disaster. This was revealed at the National Council for Senior Citizens at their annual function at the Prophecy Church, Old Harbour Road, St Catherine.

- Rasbert Turner