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Watch the Junior Mayors of Jamaica discuss some of the most pressing community issues across the nation.
They recently attend a forum held at the Gleaner Company, during Youth Month in November.
What are your thoughts. Leave a comment below.
12 students from across the island representing their parishes as Junior Mayors addressed the main issues affecting citizens in their community at a discussion forum held on Tuesday, November 27, at the Gleaner Company.
The students, who are actively, involved in co-curricular activities in schools and their communities addressed issues such as poor water supply, bad roads, streetlights, crime and violence, parenting and juvenille delinquency.
Poor roads and streetlights
The Junior Mayors called on the National Works Agency (NWA) to ensure that the roads were properly repaired and maintained, and programmes designed to produce these results developed.
Tennyson Watson, a student of Ascot High, representing Portmore Municipal, said “the issue of bad roads needed urgent attention”. According to Watson, “pre-patching the roads is not good enough, whatever the weather condition, wet or dry the roads should be built to withstand”.
He suggested that workers of the NWA should be trained like the overseas contractors to help with proper road repairs.
The St. Thomas representative, Tanya Morgan, of Seaforth High agreed with her colleague. She claimed roads in the parish that were badly damaged by Hurricane Dean and the November heavy rains needed urgent attention as some communities were to all intents and purposes cut-off.
On the subject of streetlights, Naudia Williams said the lack of lighting posed a threat to the person and property.
Drainage and solid waste
Trelawny and Portland were two of the parishes for which the issue of drainage and solid waste urgently needed to be addressed.
Monique Robb, a student of Westwood High, called for regular cleaning and maintenance of the drains. In addition she suggested the relevant authorities should consider the provision of dams as this would help to alleviate the problem of poor water supply in the parish.
Garbage disposal was a ‘burning’ issue for Shaneka Edwards, of Titchfield High. She wanted to see the Solid Waste organisation in the parish provide adequate containers for garbage disposal. According to Shaneka, “The garbage trucks can go into other areas of the community to minimise garbage overload”.
Greater councillor involvement
Turning their focus to community involvement, the Junior Mayors all agreed that community members are not adequately included in the decision making process.
The outspoken Tennyson of Ascot High, highlighted the importance of councillor’s involvement in their division, and suggests that they visit the communities and take time out to sit down with the residents and discuss their concerns.
Raquel Muir, of Manning High, added that the councillors should be ‘people persons’, that were involved at the grassroots level. “They should be involved in youth clubs, civic services, organizations that work with young people, so that the effect of their presence could be felt throughout the division,” she said.
Other issues
The desire for entertainers to use their talents to empower the youth was another issue discussed by the Junior Mayors. They felt that entertainers should use their music to encourage the youth to become leaders, and active participants in their communities.
“Entertainers need to educate the youths at the community level, give them a foundation of value, and start producing positive music with messages to empower young people,” said Naudia.
Kimberly had similar sentiments and added that “DJ’s should change their music, eliminate and not perpetuate violence,”.
The media
Mario Palmer, Brown’s Town High, called on the media to broadcast Local Government candidates within the divisions, to help build public awareness, about the role and functions of parish councillors.
The Junior Mayor participants were:
USEFUL FACT: How do you become a Junior Mayor?
Junior Mayors are selected annually during youth month in November. The selection process involves schools choosing a representative. Each participant has to make a ten-minute presentation on issues and concerns within their divisions which are judged by members of the community. The successful candidate becomes the Junior Mayor for the year.
Recently, the Honourable Robert Montague, State Minister with special responsibility for Local Government Reform endorsed a new initiative where each representative would establish a community project. Under this project each student is allotted $20,000 to assist with any community development initative they choose.
Have your say. Place your comment below.
Jamaica Elections journeyed to Crossroads on December 4, to find out if the electorate would be voting in the local government elections and why? Though many were unsure if they would vote today, the majority believe that the JLP will win this election. Take a look at some of the responses below.
Vera Davis, Records Clerk
Everton Thomas, Firefighter
Mr. McDonald, Chef
Sinone Byfield, Teacher
Kevin Harry and Jelissa Fox, Students
Dawn Robinson, Teacher
What are your thoughts? Post your comments below.
Since 2003 Local Government reform has been a hot topic in Jamaica. The reforms are expected to deepen the democratic process by allowing citizens to play a more active role in key aspects of governance.
The proposed reforms would allow for:
Local Government Reform is also critical to:
To achieve these reforms, parish councils and the Kingston & St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) have already reassigned the functions and responsibilities they enjoyed prior to the mid 1980’s. There has also been a reduction in the level at which councils must depend on central government for financial support, allowing the councils to respond more swiftly to the needs of the citizens.
What is your response to this attempt to broaden the democratic process? Do you think Jamaica is moving in the right direction to ensure that the democratic process is indeed broadened? Or do you think this will be just another ‘talking shop’?
Have your say and comment below.
Ask most Jamaicans what the responsibilities of Local Government are and you will be surprised at their responses. Most persons seem to know little or nothing about what councillors do, what they are expected to do as well as who they are.
Although Local Government representatives will be elected today, December 5, few voters realise how their participation will influence policies and decisions at the local and national level. The Local Government “mandate is to involve civil society and local communities in the process of governance, thereby giving the community an opportunity to influence the policies and decisions affecting their lives,” (Ministry of Local Government Website).
The Jamaican electorate elects their representatives, who become employed as councillors at the Parish Council for a three-year period. According to Mayor of May Pen Milton Brown, councillors represent their divisions at the Parish Council and Local Government levels on issues affecting the people.
“When a citizen reports a problem in their community a technical team from the Parish Council will assess the problem and the council will then source the funding … Councillors write appeals to relevant companies, members of parliament and other persons on the behalf of their divisions to address problems in their communities,” he stated.
Brown was quick to dispel any ambiguity surrounding the involvement of citizens in the Parish Council. According to him citizens are allowed to come to the monthly meetings of the council and are also members of different council committees. Citizens can also call the parish council to get in contact with their councillors, if they are having difficulties locating them.
He also stated that councillors should enlist the views of the public in matters relating to community infrastructure and developmental matters. Thereby ensuring the public are true partners when it comes to the development of their community. The parish council, has responsibility for:
Did You Know ?