CANDIDATES IN the June 19 Local Government elections who are seeking a role model to emulate to successfully develop their division need look no further then Manchester. Anthony Watson is retiring after 17 years as PNP councillor for the Mile Gully division in North West Manchester at the age of 49. Since 1986 he has overseen the development of this rural division and he can retire knowing that he has improved the quality of life of the residents of the Mile Gully division.

MILE GULLY BORN AND BRED

Anthony Watson is proud to be Mile Gully born and bred. A graduate of Holmwood Technical High School and the College of Arts Science and Technology (CAST), now the University of Technology, he was a member of the vibrant Mile Gully Community Club in the early 1980s. The members of this club saw the need for improved infrastructural and educational facilities. No high school, post office, or running water were present and the road network needed upgrading. This concern caused the members to develop a 10-year community development plan which Mr. Watson helped to put into place when he was elected Councillor. The initiation of these plans by the community paved the way for all future projects to be implemented and initiated by the community.

One of the first matters which was addressed was education and training. At the Mile Gully training centre, programmes for both males and females were established. For the women, "home management" was started with the help of the Social Development Commission (SDC) who paid a stipend to older women in the community. The aim of this programme was to train younger women basics such as cooking and sewing. The young men were taught English and Maths. Mile Gully now boasts a new high school which was built three years ago. In addition to this building, the World Bank will be funding a new high school which will be built in three to five years. When this is done, the primary school will move to the building housing the current high school, thus vacating the trade training centre building which it now occupies.

After CAST, Mr. Watson attended the University of Wisconsin, White Water. Here he noticed that the computer equipment was changed every three years. This motivated him to link with the University's Education Department. This was the genesis of an exchange which is still ongoing whereby staff from the University of Wisconsin conduct workshops with the Association of Basic School Teachers in Mile Gully. Examples of the workshops include conducting physical education activities in limited spaces. The visiting university staff now also work with the Northern Caribbean University and the Bethlehem Teachers' College.

Infrastructural improvements include the upgrading of the road network surrounding Mile Gully. A health clinic has been established at Mile Gully which is open Monday to Friday; the division also has a new community centre and sports complex. The community centre was built at a cost of $3 million, but instead of contracting the work out to outsiders, it was done by the community. The adjoining sports complex was funded by the Sports Development Fund.

SECRETS OF SUCCESS

The success of Mile Gully's development is based on involving as many groups in the community as possible. Mr. Watson was able to do this because as a youngster he played football and cricket for Mile Gully. The resulting popularity allowed him to cross party lines and be accepted by the entire community. This de-tribalisation of Local Government operations is still evident in the absence of a PNP sign on his divisional office. When materials such as fertiliser are distributed to farmers, it is done through various community groups to benefit supporters of all political parties. He said initially there was resistance to this because "people are not accustomed to that kind of thing." But he said that he "succeeded in getting the community to realise that the development of the community is in their hands".

A JOB WELL DONE

Mr. Watson gives two reasons for retiring. The first is the fact that most of what was listed in the 10-year plan have been implemented. The only outstanding matter is the lack of running water in Mile Gully, which he says is "one-third of the way to completion". However, he is happy to note that toilet facilities are present in Mile Gully. The second is that he has been transferred by WINDALCO to the Ewarton office in St. Catherine, and he "doesn't want to be a half-councillor".

Although he says that "sometimes I get frustrated because of the system which retards things", Anthony Watson describes his time as councillor as "17 glorious years". He knows that no matter who is elected councillor on June 19, the projects will be sustained because they are people-based community projects. This is what Local Government should be about.