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A company has been recommended to remove and dispose of the asbestos material at the Poor Relief Department, in the sum of $474,408.  Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Colin Fagan, made the disclosure during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, on July 11. "Work should commence in...

Town centres will come alive with street dances this Independence as the country celebrates it Golden Jubilee. Acting Executive Director of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), Delroy Gordon, told a recent JIS Think Tank that some 80 street dances are projected to be held across the island. [Related Story: JCDC Promises Spectacular Grand Gala] Street dances are popular avenues...

Parish councils across the island are to play a major role in the success of activities marking the country’s Jubilee Independence celebration. This was disclosed by Acting Executive Director of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), Delroy Gordon on July 5, as he addressed a JIS Think Tank. Mr. Gordon stated that parish councils have, over the years, been a...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, says the region must place high priority on the issue of disaster management. He noted that the Caribbean region is considered to be the second most disaster prone in the world, and  revealed that for Jamaica alone, it is conservatively estimated that for the past 10 years, the country has...

Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Noel Arscott, says he is on a mission to transform the imageof his Ministry and to institutionalise a culture of openness and accountability. “We (pledge) to build an image of local government that runs contrary to any view that the system is inefficient and not accountable in delivering high quality services,” he stated....

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, has assured that the affairs of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) are being tidied up, with new control guidelines issued for the agency’s accounting practices. “As we go forward, we will continue to tighten up the system, to put more checks and balances there, and a sub-committee of...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, says the government is committed to establishing long lasting partnerships among its Ministries, departments and agencies with international and private sector groups. This, he said, is to improve safety and security in communities across the island, as well as continuing Jamaica’s development process. “We have to recognise that we are...

With the budget for public cleansing and garbage disposal amounting to $150 million per month, the Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, is appealing to Jamaicans to stop littering. “Stop littering and throwing waste from the windows of our cars and throwing garbage wantonly in our gullies and water-ways. For far too long, we have taken...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, says the administration is committed to fast tracking the entrenchment of Local Government in the Jamaican Constitution. “Already, in order to fast track this commitment to the Jamaican people, the Ministry of Justice has issued drafting instructions to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel and we await the draft Bill,” Mr. Arscott...

The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development has commenced an audit of the island’s street lights. The assessment process got underway two weeks ago in the parish of Clarendon. Speaking in the 2012/13 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (June 26), portfolio Minister, Hon. Noel Arscott, said the audit, which involves collaboration with the Jamaica Public...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, says Parish Development Committees (PDCs) have played an integral role in broadening the decision-making process and mechanisms of inclusiveness at the local and community levels. “Despite the meagre resources, the PDCs have been bolstered through various initiatives and partnerships,” Mr. Arscott said, during his contribution to the 2012/13 Sectoral Debate...

Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Noel Arscott, has announced plans to undertake a property revaluation exercise during the 2012/13 fiscal year. Making his presentation in the 2012/13 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, on June 26, Mr. Arscott said the Ministry will partner with the National Land Agency (NLA) to implement the “long overdue” project during the...