Minister of Water and Housing, Dr Horace Chang last Wednesday handed over a letter of commitment for approximately $6 million to the Western Society for the Upliftment of Children (WSUC), an organisation which seeks to educate needy and disenfranchised children in Montego Bay, St James.

The money, which Chang provided from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), will be used for the construction of a building to house more than 170 children being educated by the organisation. The new building will be constructed on premises at 1 Humber Avenue, Montego Bay, a property for which WSUC has acquired a 25-year renewable lease agreement.

Addressing the handing over ceremony, Chang described the WSUC as an unheralded organisation which is doing phenomenal work in the Montego Bay community.

"At one point, they (WSUC) had over 200 kids and, for those who are not fully aware, these are all kids who have had some challenges in their lives, who are referred by the courts, probation office and various other persons and well wishers," he said. Describing the board of governors and teaching staff at WSUC as caring and talented persons who want to give the less fortunate children of the nation an opportunity and a second chance, Chang said WSUC deserved all the possible support it could get.

He promised additional support for the institution from the 2009/2010 Constituency Development Fund.

The WSUC now operates through grant funding from several aid agencies. The institution has been in operation since January 1990, and caters for disenfranchised and needy children between 10 and 19 years of age.

JIS

$70m for Rural Water Supply Project

The Rural Water Supply Project has received an allocation of $70 million, as outlined in the Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives.

The project, which began in April 2002, aims to improve the basic sanitary/health conditions by increasing the coverage of potable water and sanitation services in poor rural areas as defined in the Jamaica Poverty Map (JPM).

Under the project so far, the delivery of pipes and fittings for the White Horses Water Supply Scheme has been completed. Other water schemes completed include: the Cotterwood, Pamphret/Botany Bay and White Horses water supply schemes.

Additionally, beneficiaries in the Community Water Organisations have been trained; computers and other equipment for the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) have been purchased; pipes have been procured for the construction of the Mile Gully and Gravel Hill water supply schemes; and approval received for the procurement of tanks for the Gibraltore Water Supply Scheme.

It is expected that, for the current fiscal year, the following targets will be met: complete the civil works contract for the Gravel Hill Water Supply Scheme; complete the civil works contract for the Mile Gully/Warwick Castle Water Supply Scheme; construct 25 sanitation solutions; and complete the office buildings for the Cotterwood Water Supply Scheme and the Pamphret/Botany Bay and White Horses water supply schemes.

The Rural Water Supply Project is funded by the Government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

JIS

'Excellent utilities needed for tourism boost'

FALMOUTH, Trelawny

Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, says the provision of efficient utilities services is essential to the success of Jamaica's tourism.

"The relationship between the utilities and tourism is symbiotic, as we cannot deliver on a quality experience to the visitor, without excellent utilities," Bartlett told the Easter Festival of the Caribbean Utilities Employees Association (CUEA), at the Starfish Resort, Trelawny, last Thursday.

Bartlett stated that although, in Jamaica's case, the utilities cost the industry about 13 per cent of operating costs, they were critical to its success.

"The visitor comes for an experience, an experience that is enriched by creature comforts created by the utilities that are available," he explained.

More than 200 delegates from across the Caribbean region are attending the CUEA 2009 Easter Festival.

JIS

Policemen held on suspicion of corruption

HALF-WAY TREE, St Andrew

Constable Jason Powell of the St Andrew Central Police Division was arrested on reasonable suspicion for breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act of 2000 last Wednesday.

It is alleged that, sometime in March of this year, a complainant made a report against a man who was trying to blackmail him. Powell, of the Half-Way Tree Police Station, was assigned to the case as the investigating officer. Powell contacted the complainant and told him that he was told certain things by the accused and, based on what he was told, he was soliciting the sum of $100,000 from him in order not to put the case before the courts.

A report was made to the Anti Corruption Branch and a sting operation was carried out during which Constable Powell was held after collecting the sum of $50,000.

Constable Willard Williamson of the Westmoreland Police Division was arrested on reasonable suspicion for breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act of 2000 last week Tuesday.

Allegations are that, sometime in March of this year, Constable Williamson corruptly solicited the sum of $15,000 from the complainant to get rid of a summons that was served on her by him to appear before the Savanna-la-Mar Resident Magistrate's Court for breaches of the Road Traffic Act.

The Anti Corruption Branch got information of the arrangements and a sting operation was carried out during which Williamson was held after collecting the money. At present Constable Williamson is in custody.

Contributed