Letter of the Day | Don’t undermine local government
Published:Saturday | January 27, 2024 | 12:05 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
The allocation of funds to members of parliament (MPs) for the repair of roads and the request of the prime minister for a list of roads in need of repairs directly from the MPs, are undermining the importance for local government and governance by the elected parish municipalities.
To add insult to injury, the claim by Mikael Phillips, about the inability of MPs to provide such a list by March 31, points to the forgotten role of councillors across the varied divisions within the parishes that comprise the governing municipalities.
Since the last local government elections, citizens across Jamaica have been complaining about the poor conditions of roads. Secondly, as we lead up to this local government election, both political parties have candidates in the divisions campaigning for votes and ought to have familiarised themselves with the needs of their respective divisions to serve. Along with this, the basic division of parishes begins with the Social Development Commission (SDC). The SDC is the Government of Jamaica’s main community mobilisation and organisation agency working with Jamaica’s 783 communities. The SDC’s overarching strategic objective is to advance the economic development communities through an integrated community development strategy. The SDC is positioned in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, sends their reports/minutes to the minister, and copies to members of parliament. Another level is the parish divisions led by elected councillors that comprise the parish municipalities under the leadership of the mayor. Hence, the requested list can be made available before the next local government elections.
On the issue of road repairs, the use of asphalt generally guarantees a road life of 18 years. Since the introduction of the National Works Agency (NWA) and the involvement of some genetically connected contractors, millions of dollars have been wasted fixing roads that last until the next heavy rains.
The people in Manchester have witnessed this, in that, roads that were repaired in 2021 were resurfaced in late 2023. Those funds could have been spent on education and health, if the quality of our roads was not compromised in the first place.
If the local municipalities are important for governance, then let us stop undermining their role and demand of them the required information that they should have had in the first place – the plight of roads in disrepair across the parishes.
DUDLEY MCLEAN II
Mandeville, Manchester