City Status Celebration in St. James October

Notwithstanding the damage in the west, as a result of Hurricane Ivan, the St. James Parish Council will be going ahead with activities to celebrate the 24th anniversary of Montego Bay gaining city status, during the month of October.
Plans for the month-long series of activities to mark the occasion have been scaled down by the Council’s Civic and Community Affairs Committee, according to Chairman, Councillor Richard Solomone.
“A number of sporting activities that were planned by the Committee to be held from October 2 to 10 have been cancelled.
The Council will however proceed with the 24th City Status anniversary service of thanksgiving at Mount Salem Open Bible Church, which will also focus on giving thanks for lives spared during Hurricane Ivan,” he said He further pointed out that the annual Atlanta/Montego Bay Sister Cities Health Mission will take place from October 5 to 8 at the St. John’s Methodist Church Hall, where a team of medical specialists from Atlanta, led by Jamaica’s Honorary Consul General, Vin Martin will offer health care, free of cost, to hundreds of residents of St. James and neighbouring parishes.
Meanwhile, Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Noel Donaldson said that the council was at this time giving priority to assisting those of the parish who were affected by the onslaught of Hurricane Ivan.
“We are cognizant of the discomfort being experienced by persons throughout St. James, who have suffered from the effects of the hurricane and we have therefore decided to scale down the City Status celebrations for this year, preferring to focus on utilizing already limited funds to assist in the relief efforts,” he said.