Housing shortage, training facilities: an MP's priority

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Tuesday | July 31, 2007

By: Richard Morais, Gleaner Writer

With a brand new international sporting stadium, new police and fire stations, an almost new hospital along with four new hotel complexes, North Trelawny could be regarded as being on the fast track.

However, with just one housing scheme built in the area in approximately 15 years and no tertiary institution, there are many challenges high on the agenda of both the People's National Party's (PNP) Patrick Harris and the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Dennis Meadows.

"Whenever you move out of a house another moving truck is waiting at the gate," said taxi operator Michael Williams.

The last government housing scheme, Mr. Williams explained was built in Clark's Town about 15 years ago.

Hague resident Roland Haye believes it is essential that a tertiary institution be established.

"Our people have to be able to access the development and tertiary training that is needed, or we will only be line staff. I thing that a university instead of the stadium should have been built," he said.

If there is no emphasis placed on housing development the probability of a massive squatter settlement being established is increased, Haye explained.

As is the case with the other 59 constituencies there are communities wrestling with poor roads and a lack of water and the people of North Trelawny have voiced these concerns many times.

The constituency has 27,452 persons on the voters list. The capital town, Falmouth, is home to just over 4,000 of these voters.

Two other main towns are Wakefield and Clarks Town, the latter being the home of the Long Pond sugar factory.

Tourism has toppled king sugar as the top industrywith the construction of four hotels and the closing of the Hampden sugar factory. Papaya, a relatively new industry, is doing well.

While the last four elections have gone the way of the PNP, the constituency cannot be regarded as a PNP stronghold because the PNP did not contest two of the elections, there has been an even seven-all split for the parties since universal adult suffrage in 1944.