Minister McKenzie Tours Site for the new Market in Portmore
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie (centre), Mayor of Portmore, Leon Thomas (left), Member of Parliament for St. Catherine East Central, Hon. Alando Terronge (right), and...
![The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development will be undertaking electrification and water supply projects in Chamber’s Pen, Hanover.
“In another couple of weeks, I will be signing the contract for [electrical] installation of 150 households in Chamber’s Pen and another 150 [communities] between the Corporate Area and Portland,” portfolio Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, told JIS News.
The installation works will be undertaken as part of the Ministry’s Rural Electrification Programme (REP) being spearheaded by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF).
The programme aims to extend electricity to rural Jamaica as part of measures to stimulate economic and social activity, and improve the quality of life in rural communities.
So far, several rural areas across the island have been benefiting from the project.
Chamber’s Pen will also be the focus of a major water supply project.
“An extensive amount of work [will be done] to bring water to the community… and that will be done by Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL),” Minister McKenzie said, while addressing a water supply commissioning ceremony in Top Aberdeen in St. Elizabeth, recently.
Chamber’s Pen is the pilot community under the Ministry’s $650-million Rural Development Programme.
The programme, which will create temporary and permanent employment opportunities across the country, includes the installation of water, electricity, Internet access, roads, sidewalks, community parks and indigent housing.
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