Students read posters on earthquakes at an open day staged by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to mark Earthquake Awareness Week. The event was held at the ODPEM premises at 12 Camp Road, on January 16. - JIS Photos
Councillor lauds MoBay poor relief
MONTEGO BAY, ST. JAMES:
Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Charles Sinclair, has commended the Poor Relief Department of the St. James Parish Council for its outstanding success in a care and rehabilitation programme it implemented for the street people and homeless in the parish.
He made special mention of Inspector of Poor for St. James, Jeremiah Dehaney, who spearheaded the programme.
Speaking at a recent parish council monthly meeting in Montego Bay, Mayor Sinclair noted that the programme, which was conceptualised and established after the forced removal of persons from the streets in July, 1999, is going exceptionally well and had so far transformed the lives of those less fortunate in the parish.
Mr. Dehaney expressed satisfaction on the positive impact the programme had been having on the homeless persons and street people of the parish.
He pointed out, however, that there was still scope for improvement, which would allow for greater effectiveness of the programme, as the present night shelter facilities were becoming overcrowded with 19 males and 11 females.
- JIS
Free oral health care for the west
WESTMORELAND:
Approximately 500 children from 15 early childhood institutions in Westmoreland will benefit from free oral health care services at a clinic slated for the Whitehouse Early Childhood Institute in the parish on January 23.
The initiative is part of a project being undertaken by Sandals Whitehouse European Village and Spa, and the Westmoreland Health Authority, and is aimed at promoting preventative measures to break the cycle of poor dental health among pre-schoolers, and the elderly.
According to Assistant Public Relations Manager at the Sandals Whitehouse Hotel, Keith Wedderburn, children and the elderly are most vulnerable to the effects of poor oral health.
The project has received support and sponsorship from community persons, guests of the hotel and the Ministry of Health and environment, through which the dental health personnel have been sourced.
Some 120 early childhood students in Westmoreland have so far benefited under the project, which began in November 2007.
It is hoped that the programme will reach all children and elderly persons in the parish over the next five years.
- JIS
Health department calls for sewerage removal
Minister of Water and Housing, Dr. Horace Chang (left) listens keenly to Inspector of the Poor for St. James, Jeremiah Dehaney, during the recent parish council meeting in Montego Bay, St. James.
TRYALL, HANOVER:
The Hanover Health Department has, once again, called for the relocation of the Tryall Gardens Housing Scheme central sewerage plant.
At the first monthly meeting of the newly elected councillors, held at the Hanover Parish Council, last Thursday, Chief Public Health Inspector for the parish, Derrick Storer, pointed out tha the Tryall Gardens Housing Scheme plant is aesthetically well kept, there is a strong odour continuously emanating from it. The system is adjacent to the Sandy Bay main road, at the front of the Tryall Gardens Housing Scheme.
The relocation of the plant was previously proposed by the Hanover Health Department, and a site in the Kenilworth area of the parish had been identified by the Health Department as a more suitable location.
Mr. Storer said the proposed site would allow for a larger facility to be constructed, with the capacity to deal with more sewage from a wider geographical area.
He said that sewage from areas such as Sandy Bay, Blue Hole and Kenilworth could be easily channelled to the proposed site.
- JIS
Chang impressed with Flankers' water project
MONTEGO BAY, ST. JAMES:
Minister of Water and Housing, Dr. Horace Chang, has expressed satisfaction over the progress of the pipe laying project now under way in sections of Flankers, Montego Bay.
The project, which costs some $30 million will supply water to the communities of Norwood, Providenc and Flankers, and is aimed at supplying approximately 2,500 households with potable drinking water. Work is expected to be completed within the first quarter of the year.
During a tour of the project last Thursday in Flankers, Dr. Chang said the establishment of the new water mains would link the three areas to a more consistent water supply system over an extended period.
He further observed that other infrastructure works were presently under way including extensive road rehabilitation and drain cleaning throughout the developing Flankers community, and adjoining areas.
- JIS
Jazz festival takes on charity
MONTEGO BAY, ST. JAMES:
Producers of the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, scheduled for January 24-26, TurnKey Productions, recently adopted the Palmyra Foundation as its official charity.
The foundation's main aim is to furnish all the primary school children of St. James with the necessary and relevant textbooks.
Walter Elmore, executive producer of the show expressed the hope that with the help that would be coming from the festival, the project could be extended islandwide.
In the meantime, tourist arrivals, particularly in Montego Bay, are on the upswing, with thousands of visitors coming into the island for the festival.
The music festival, now rated as one of the top 10 events in the world, will be held at its home base, the Aqueduct, for the second consecutive year. The venue is located in Rose Hall, opposite the Rose Hall Great House.
According to Elmore, all aspects of the production for this year's show were falling neatly into place.
He pointed out that a new entrance road to the venue was complete, with a new underpass from the dualised Rose Hall highway put in, with the aim of correcting traffic congestion.
Mr. Elmore said that for the period leading up to the show there would be no available rooms in the city.
- JIS
