HELP US…HELP YOU!!-St. Ann Parish Council ‘kicks off’ 2015 Town Hall Meetings in Parish Council Divisions.
(St. Ann’s Bay Jamaica) (March 3, 2015) The St. Ann Parish Council has commenced its new slate of Town Hall Meetings for the year 2015. Residents of the Lime Hall Division, more specifically the Steer Town Community last Thursday (February 26, 2015) came out to air their concerns about social issues affecting their community and possible solutions to be explored by the Parish Council and the various agencies that were present. Despite the area now being considered a volatile community due to the recent spate of crime and violence, the turnout on the part of both representatives from the various agencies and members of the wider community was commendable.
Concerns from residents ranged from issues with the now dissolved Operation Pride to Roads being constructed through the China Harbour Engineering Company as well as issues relating to crime and violence plaguing the community. Residents openly expressed their concerns and looked to the representatives from the various agencies for informed opinions and answers. Town Hall Meetings are big on the agenda of the St. Ann Parish Council in keeping with the whole thrust of the Local Government Reform Process. Agencies present at the meeting included: The Jamaica Public Service, Housing Agency of Jamaica, China Harbour Engineering Company, Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning, HEART Trust NTA, Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Urban Development Corporation, The National Water Commission, Social Development Commission, the Parish Development Committee among others. Officers of the St. Ann Parish Council and Councillors from other Divisions were also present at the meeting. Also in attendance to lend support was Member of Parliament for North East St. Ann, Mrs. Shahine Robinson who openly commended the Parish Council for the initiative to strengthen the Participatory Governance Framework.
Councillor for the Lime Hall Division and Chairman of the meeting Mayor of St. Ann’s Bay Desmond Gilmore explained to residents the importance of such gatherings and the need to fully understand that government and governance are mutually beneficial relationships and people must view Community Development and by extension Nation Building as part of their personal affairs. He stated that as the decision making body in the Parish, the Council relies on the assistance of the wider community to make informed decisions/policies and to execute in the best interest of the people. The Council will be visiting the various divisions in the Parish to convene these meetings throughout the year.
