Myrtle Way Residents To Have Electricity, Water In Their Homes

Member of Parliament for St. Catherine South East, Robert Miller, says residents of Myrtle Way in Portmore, will soon have access to electricity and potable water in their homes.

Making his contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives, recently, the MP reported that access to the utilities is being made possible through partnership involving the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF).

“Pipes are being laid for running water, meters will be connected soon, and the citizens will have running water in their pipes,” he said.

He noted that since July, over 120 houses have been wired for electricity between Myrtle Way and Pen Way, and phase two of the wiring programme will commence at 48 Passage Fort Drive and Portmore Gardens.

Mr. Miller noted that the ongoing initiative has provided employment and equipped persons with skills in electrical installation, and the beneficiaries will shortly be certified by the HEART/NSTA Trust.

Turning to initiatives in education, he informed that over $10 million has been spent to provide grants for tertiary and other students, and 180 tablets have been distributed to students – 100 under the Government’s tablet initiative, 30 from various foundations, and 50 through the Toll Authority of Jamaica.

He said that over 200 at-risk youth in the constituency have been registered in skills training programmes at the HEART College of Construction, while a programme is being crafted with the Jamaica Library Service (JLS), to expand sub-libraries in the area.

He told the House that the procurement process will start shorty to establish a “complete block at the Bridgeport High School, which will result in the abolition of the shift system.”

The first-term Member of Parliament, who was delivering his first report to the House, further reported that lands have been identified for the relocation of the Waterford Health Centre, and the plan is with the Ministry of Health and Wellness for a final decision.

Meanwhile, he said that rehabilitation work will commence within the next three weeks on the Waterford, Parkway to Bayside main road, while patching work on the Germaine and the Bridgeport roads have been completed.

He noted that residents are also benefitting from support to own the homes that they occupy at reduced costs.