Councils in the spotlight

September will mark six months since the 2012 local government elections. Since those elections, do you know what your mayor/parish council has achieved?

Mayor Brenda Ramsay, Manchester Parish Council

Achievements

1. Put in place a wind and solar energy system at the Manchester Parish Council, where all our plugs in the administrative building are off the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) grid. Phase Two will see the entire system off the JPS grid.

2. The continuation of the work on the Cecil Charlton Park, in the Mandeville town centre, which is almost completed, with perimeter fence and seating left to be put in. A building was built beside the park to accommodate photographers in one area.

3. Improve on internal systems at the parish council in order to deliver better quality services. In particular, the planning department, where the process can move more smoothly.

4. Through the Brooks Park Development Committee, led by Dr Clifton Reid, we continue to upgrade the Brooks Park facility into a recreational park, a family setting for the people of Manchester.

5. We have continued to improve the Mandeville market to make our vendors and their customers more comfortable.

6. Improve and upgraded our drainage systems in Mandeville.

Mayor's assessment

"This is my second term, so I have been continuing some of the work that I had started in my first term. It's difficult to assess your own work. I guess you can only gauge it by the response that you get, based on the calls that come in, and the letters that people write. Not all of them will be favourable, but I am satisfied that people are beginning to feel that they are a part of what we do here (at the Manchester Parish Council), and that we want to engage the public as we are not a law to ourselves; we are here to serve the public and we readily accept any criticism, especially constructive ones. I think that Manchester Parish Council continues to do well and to really make local government the sort of governance that people really want it to be."

Mayor Benny White, Portland Parish Council

Achievements

1. Major washing down and cleaning of a number of streets in Port Antonio using power hoses.

2. Launching of major clean-up and beautification project, where buildings and walls were repainted along William Street and Harbour Street - an initiative supported by the business community.

3. Repainting of more than half-a-mile of sidewalks and retaining walls in the town.

4. Repainting and erecting of street signs and pedestrian crossings.

5. Beautification of West Palm Avenue leading into the town of Port Antonio.

6. Beautification and sprucing-up of Fore Shore Road.

7. Major rehabilitation of approximately 400 metres of roadway at Love Lane in Port Antonio.

8. Bushing and cleaning of the Craft Village located at Allan Avenue - funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund.

Mayor's assessment

"I have done extremely well in the five months - not only from my assessment, but people from the tourism sector, the business community, the Portland Chamber of Commerce, returning residents, and others. They have commended me for the effort in restoring civic pride to this town. In my estimation, the business community is now re-energised, and they have pledged their full support towards the initiatives, and the idea is to give Port Antonio a new and distinct look."

Mayor Norman Scott, St. Catherine Parish Council

Achievements

1. Marked improvement in the aesthetics of Spanish Town.

2. Cleaner markets.

3. Jamaica 50 celebrations, under his leadership, united communities in Spanish Town.

4. Drastic reduction in major crimes (resulting from close collaboration with the police).

5. Less tension in Spanish Town.

6. Road repairs.

7. Cleaned drains.

8. Successful community participation and unity.

9. Signs of the restoration of old-time Spanish Town - and St Catherine in general.

10. Upgraded parking permit system - better regulated traffic system.

11. Upgraded garbage-collection system with placement of garbage containers, which contribute to less littering of the town.

Mayor's assessment

"It's difficult (to assess myself) because I don't want to blow my own trumpet. I would rather leave that to the public."