St. James Parish Council to Embark on Community Fora May 25

Beginning May 25, the St. James Parish Council will be embarking on another series of community fora, aimed at promoting Local Government Reform, and to integrate residents of the parish in the governance process. Some 17 meetings are scheduled to be held across the parish, with at least one in every parish council division.
The meetings are designed to increase the public’s awareness of the Council’s roles and responsibilities, and to also address issues and queries residents may have concerning aspects of the council’s operations. The meetings will be held between May 25 and July 20.
Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Noel Donaldson, in commenting on the series of upcoming fora, said this was an attempt to bring the residents within the parish into the process of governance. “We are seeking to equip them with vital information to enhance the sustainable development of all communities in the parish,” he told JIS News.
Meanwhile, Secretary/Manager of the parish council, Ian Reid, said he was looking forward to a successful series of meetings, adding that the Councillors should garner information that would assist the parish council in its efforts to implement programmes to benefit the various communities across the parish.
He pointed out that apart from the parish council personnel, representatives from other government and non-governmental organizations would also be invited to the meetings to make presentations on their scope of works in the communities, and to answer questions.