HILL

LUCEA, Hanover:

Mayor of Lucea and chairman of the Hanover Parish Council Lloyd Hill has expressed disappointment about plans by the Parish Council Services Commission to conduct a mass transfer of secretary/managers throughout the islands parish councils.

According to Mayor Hill, such a move could affect the Department of Local Government's 2009 deadline for achieving completion of the reform of local government.

The Mayor made his comments during the regular monthly meeting of the Hanover Parish Council last Thursday.

When contacted, state minister in the Department of Local Government, Robert Montague, told The Gleaner that while the move was not initiated or presided over by his department, it was one that he endorsed.

According to Montague, the transfers would allow for innovative secretary/ managers to pass on their ideas to other parishes.

- Claudia Gardner

Councillors walk out of meeting

MORANT BAY, St Thomas:

Chairman of the St Thomas Parish Council and Mayor of Morant Bay, Aniff Brown, was last Thursday left sitting alone in the council's meeting room after being abandoned by his colleagues following a decision not to allow any further discussion on the pending transfer of the organisation's secretary/manager, Clinton Garden, to St Ann, which takes effect on November 3.

Gordon is to be replaced by Faye Nuefville from Portland.

The issue was raised by Councillor Michael McLeod of Dalvey, who asked what was the council's response to the decision of the Public Service Commission.

Brown, who expressed encouraging words of endorsement for his outgoing chief executive officer, did not support the position of his colleagues in disagreeing with the transfer, but told them he would convey their concerns as well as his own views to the Public Service Commission.

This infuriated the councillors, who accused the mayor of not wanting to be part of the collective position the council had arrived at.

When it was clear that the mayor was going to have the final say, the other councillors walked out, forcing an adjournment of the meeting.

- Arthur Green

Chang promises to help St Elizabeth water woes

BLACK RIVER, St Ekizabeth:

Minister of Water and Housing, Dr Horace Chang has said that less than 50 per cent of residents in St Elizabeth were being served with potable water and just about 30 were served by National Water Commission (NWC) pumps.

Dr Chang made these observations while speaking at the monthly general meeting of the St Elizabeth Parish Council at the agency's meeting room in Black River last Thursday. Jeremy Palmer, mayor of Black River, invited the minister to address concerns about the delivery of water in the parish.

The minister also disclosed that the Essex Valley water system was under construction and the Round Hill and Parklee wells were being rehabilitated to add to the parish's capacity.

- Angella Chin