Luther Buchanan to man rural-development push

Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter

STATE MINISTER in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Luther Buchanan, is to oversee the improvements of health centres in rural Jamaica as part of a push by the Portia Simpson Miller administration to place focus on rural development.

Buchanan, who is the member of parliament for Eastern Westmore-land, has responsibility for special projects and assignments in the OPM.

"With the Government being more focused on rural development, the administration recognises that a strong health-care system is a critically important service (from which) persons in rural Jamaica should be able to benefit," Buchanan told The Gleaner yesterday.

During the Budget Debate last May, Simpson Miller said her administration had developed a three-year rural-development plan to reduce urban migration. She said that the main emphasis of the Government's rural development plan will be on "the building of townships; establishment of business enterprises; provision of access to health-care facilities, schools, water, roads, electricity, technology, and the creation of opportuni-ties for economic advancement."

Sandrea Falconer, minister with respon-sibility for information, said yesterday that Buchanan will provide oversight to "ensure improved infrastructure exists for the delivery of health care throughout these centres and other facilities".

"The Ministry of Health has responsibility for more than 300 rural health-care centres, all at differing levels as far as the quality of infrastructure is concerned," Falconer said.