St. Mary Road Renamed for Late Councillor

Remembered as a true son of local government and a man, who loved people, respected late Councillor of the Hampstead Division in St. Mary, Barton Oliver, has been immortalised with the renaming of a road in his honour.

Shortly after his death in March 2016, a decision was taken by the St. Mary Municipal Corporation to have the road, originally named Jackass Gully, then Taylor Piece Road, renamed Barton Oliver Close.

At the renaming ceremony on September 29, Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said the life of Mr. Oliver, affectionately called “Sadam” was characterised by service to the people.

“One of the greatest honours that we can bestow upon Sadam is to cherish the good things that he did when he was alive…he was a true son of local government,” he said.

Mr. McKenzie urged community members to care for the road, noting that it had been newly paved and improved with a new drainage system.

He thanked Mr. Oliver’s family for agreeing to the renaming of the roadway, which he said symbolises the Government’s gratitude for the late councillor’s contributions.

Mayor of Port Maria, Councillor Richard Creary, remembered Mr. Oliver as a mentor and “one who endeared himself to people.”

He expressed gratitude to the Local Government Ministry for providing the funds to improve the roadway and indicated that the road’s new name would be gazetted.

Councillor Mitsy Hudson, who succeeded Mr. Oliver, said the late Councillor “went above and beyond” to serve the people of Hampstead and by extension the people of St. Mary.

Transport and Mining Minister and Member of Parliament for Western St. Mary, Hon. Robert Montague, remembered Mr. Oliver as a lover of people and “a one of a kind human being”.

“He was a personal friend of mine…he would never go to his bed if he found out someone had an issue with him. He would go to their house and would talk it through. He was a faithful brother and he was someone you could depend on through thick and thin,” he said.

Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange, recounted how much she could depend on Mr. Oliver and the close connections he had with her grandaunt, who would sometimes take care of him.

She committed to providing funding for the establishment of the Barton Oliver Playfield.

In his tribute, Spanish Town Mayor, Norman Scott noted that Mr. Oliver, who was respected on both sides of the political divide was deserving of the honour for the work he had done in the community.