Jamaicans Encouraged to Support Local Authorities
By: , November 7, 2022
Photo: Mark Bell
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie (second right), and (from left, front row) Mayor of May Pen and President, Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica, Councillor Winston Maragh; Member of Parliament, Natalie Neita Garvey, who represented Opposition Leader, Mark Golding; and Custos Rotulorum for St. Thomas, Hon. Marcia Bennett, who represented Governor General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, participate in the National Church Service for Local Government and Community Month 2022. The service was held at the Kencot Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Kingston, on Saturday (November 5).
Photo: Mark Bell
Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill (right), and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith (centre), are greeted by United States Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Nick Perry, during Saturday’s (November 5) Local Government and Community Month 2022 National Church Service. The service was held at the Kencot Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Kingston.
Photo: Mark Bell
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie (centre), greets officiating minister for Saturday’s (November 5) National Church Service for Local Government and Community Month 2022, Dr. Meric Walker. The service was held at Kencot Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Kingston. Looking on is Mayor of May Pen and President, Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica, Councillor Winston Maragh.The Full Story
Jamaicans are being encouraged to support the work of local authorities within their parishes.
The call comes as the country observes Local Government and Community Month 2022 during November, for which this year’s National Church Service was held on Saturday (November 5). The service was held at Kencot Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Kingston.
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, who spoke during the service, noted that, “[local government] is the first form of government for the people, [and] affects at least 90 per cent of our way of life in this country.”
“We are here to serve you. Service is our responsibility, and we take great pride in serving the people of Jamaica. I want to urge Jamaicans to support the efforts of the local authorities in whatever way you can,” he added.
The Ministry recently opened two new fire stations to better serve Jamaicans through the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB).
They are also awaiting the arrival of new garbage trucks to improve the capacity of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA).
Additionally, Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has commended the Ministry for its role in helping to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, by assisting the Government in developing and implementing critical public health and safety protocols.
Jamaica, through the work of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), an agency of the Ministry, is among the Caribbean countries instituting a robust disaster risk reduction strategy.
Noting that “local government has been making an impact”, Minister McKenzie gave an undertaking “to ensure transparency [and] accountability.”
“We have started the work, and it is our commitment in this our 60th year [of Independence], that we make local government an example of what government and what service is all about,” he added.
The church service, which was officiated by Dr Meric Walker, was attended by several senior members of Government.
They included Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith.
Other attendees included United States Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Nick Perry; Mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams; Mayor of May Pen and President of the Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica, Councillor Winston Maragh; other Mayors; members of the Diplomatic Corps; Permanent Secretaries; agency heads, and other affiliates.
Local Government and Community Development Month 2022 is being observed under the theme: ‘Reigniting a Nation for Greatness through Local Government’.
Several activities are slated throughout November, including renovations to the St. James Infirmary, a cook-off between agencies of the Ministry, and a Youth Mayors’ Forum.