sectoral presentation - dr. winston green

7/30/2019 Sectoral Presentation - Dr. Winston Green

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Contribution to the Annual Sectoral Debate

Wednesday May 22, 2013

Dr. Winston Green MP

St. Mary Southeastern

Greetings and Acknowledgements

Mr. Speaker, as I rise today in this Honourable House, I want to give

thanks to God for His protection and guidance over the years, without

Whom I would not be in this House today.

I want to give thanks to my family who stuck it out with me, who

understand my absences from home while I wasploughing the

political field. I appreciate the words of encouragement from my

children even when my political activities affected their emotional and

material wellbeing.


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To my mother, Veronica Green and my eldest sister Barbara who

brought me in the world of politics, and both reside in the United

States of America at present, but still follow my political progress, I

thank them. I want to include in this family my political mother, Aunt

May Clarke former Constituency Secretary for Eastern St. Andrew.

To the Rotary Movement in general, and the Rotary Club of Kingston

in particular, where I am a member for some twenty years (20), has

assisted in grooming me to be an upstanding citizen of this society.

Mr. Speaker, the people of South East St. Mary have given me the

privilege to be here, not only by their votes, but by their dedicated

work in securing the victory and also by their words of

encouragement and prayers.

I want to, for the millionth time, but for the first time from this

Honourable House, say a big thank you.

I know many of you are in the Gallery as I speak, and the others are

tuned in via television right now.


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I would like to express gratitude to some persons for their assistance

given to me in running of the Constituencylike Yvonne Williams,

Sharon Brown, Valerie Walters, Tanya Bentley, Junior Johnson, Dwight

Sanderson, Desmond Riley, et al.

I want to welcome the students along with their teachers of the

Annotto Bay High School who are here today.

My Councillors who are here, and, who have been giving me

tremendous support in the administration of the Constituency,

Mr. Kevin Golding and His Worship the Mayor of Port Maria,

Councillor Levan Freeman who is doing a tremendous job in his

capacity as Mayor. Also with us are Councillor Caretakers Wayne

Campbell and Patrick Mcleod.

I want to also salute former Member of Parliament Mr. Harry Douglas

whose advice and counsel are highly appreciated.


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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Prime Minister of Jamiaca, The Most

Honourable Portia Simpson-Miller for giving me the opportunity to

serve the people of South East St. Mary. Her advice, her

encouragement and her assistance have been timely and well

appreciated, not only as my Prime Minister, but also as a loving,

caring big sister. I thank you Madam Prime Minister.

Whether she realizes every single thing her heart conceives in the

interest of upliftment of the poor and oppressed in our Society, it is a

shared belief that she is a great human being.

Mr. Speaker before I start, I would like to commend the previous

speakers, a whole grouping of young persons, the eldest being in his

forties and the youngest aged thirty who rocked the House yesterday.


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Mr. Speaker, in my short presentation this afternoon, I wish to briefly

outline a few of our achievements as a Constituency since I was sworn

in as Member of Parliament some fifteen (15)months ago. I also wish

to share with you some of our plans and also the needs and

aspirations of my Constituents. It is a bitter sweet reality Mr. Speaker.

Roads

Mr. Speaker, I have inherited a Constituency riddled with extremely

bad roads among other challenges. If anything was done in the

recent past in the Constituency, it certainly was not on the roads. The

echoes of the cries for better roads could still be heard in 2012 when I

took office as the new Member of Parliament. The miles and miles of

roadway from Grandy Hole off the Junction Main Road, to Scotts Hall

to Comfort Valley to Richmond was a nightmare. Roads such as Long

Road, Camberwell, Epsom, Enfield Belfield, Brainerd, Gibbs Hill, Zion

Hill, and I could go on and on, were in the same deplorable condition.


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Even the Main Corridor, the Junction Road from St. Andrew to

Annotto Bay was something to avoid if at all possible. Farming

communities such as Rose Mount had no road whatsoever.

Mr. Speaker, I can say that the process of repairing many of these

roads has started in earnest and for this I wish to thank the Minister

of Transport, Works and Housing, the Honourable Omar Davis and

the Minister of State, Honourable Richard Azan for facilitating this

process thus far.

Mr. Speaker, in the past when anyone talked about a hot spot of

angry persons because of their road condition, it would be the

Community of Enfield. Every monthly community meetings were

taken up with the subject. I have full knowledge because I attended

those meetings years back, even as a Candidate for Member of

Parliament. There were countless demonstrations by the residents,

endless calls to the talk shows, but to no avail.


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I too, in my own way then,advocated for the fixing of this road.

Persons might recall, after being elected as Member of Parliament, I

publicly stated in one of our daily newspapers that if this road was

not repaired, I would not face the electorate again!

This road is approximately eight and a half (8 ) miles long and serve

several communities such as Fort Stewart, Juno Pen, Reddington,

Enfield proper, leading up to the community of Forty-oneand

beyond to May River and Tinsbury, all well populated communities

totaling more than seven thousand residents, one way in, one way

out, no alternative route.

Thousandsof lives were affected, from students attending school in

and outside of the Community, workers travelling daily, and farmers

in moving their produce out to market.

It also affected the smooth access of the emergency services such as

the ambulance, police and fire brigade. It was a slow, dangerous and

bumpy ride.


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Mr. Speaker, I am happy to report that late last year, I attended one of

these same community meetings and the new cry was for the

installation of sleeping police as that eight and a half

(8 ) miles of road was rehabilitated at a cost of over one hundred

million ($100M).

I was heartened when a Constituent of the said community called me

to tell me that her grand-aunt fell ill during the night and what would

have normally taken twenty-five to thirty

(25-30) minutes to get to the Annotto Bay Hospital driving carefully,

now took five (5) minutes, now that the road is fixed. Not only that

Mr. Speaker, she also told me her that the Doctor told her that due to

the nature of the illness, had it been a rough ride down and more

delay, she would not have made it.


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The people of that community are everlastingly grateful to the

Government for responding to their plight and have asked me to

convey this sentiment today. Mr. Speaker, it was a promise made and

a promise kept.

Mr. Speaker, the approximate twelve(12) miles of roadway from

Grandy Hole off the Junction Main Road, through to Scotts Hall, Rock

River, Comfort Valley and Richmond have been repaired from the

Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP). The

Constituents of these communities which amount to thousands have

also asked me to convey thanks.

Approximately four (4) miles of rehabilitative work was done on the

Annotto Bay to Fort George Road which included the placing of

Gabion Baskets in strategic areas.

They also send their thanks.


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Approximately six and a half (6 ) miles of road was repaired from

Richmond to Rose Hill which included repair to a massive and

treacherous breakaway in the Barracks River area that was posing

great danger to persons living in that community and also from many

adjoining communities.

I convey thanks on their behalf.

Repair was done to the Highgate to Richmond Road, Richmond to

Kendal, Orange Hill to Clermont, although not completed, I was asked

to convey thanks Mr. Speaker.

The length and breadth of the Junction Road from St. Andrew to

Annotto Bay, our main Corridor, not only to St. Mary but to Portland

and St. Thomas, has been completely rehabilitated.

Mr. Speaker, you might recall in early 2011, it was televised that an

outpatient at the Annotto Bay Hospital was walking along the

Hospitals roadway, fell into a pothole and broke a limb.


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Mr. Speaker, if someone should fall on the road now, that individual

would be sliding smoothly down the grade as this road has been fully

resurfaced.

This however is by no way a request for people to test the

smoothness of the road by falling.

Doctors, nurses, other staffs and patients and all users of the Facility

are grateful.

Along the shoreline, where the Highway runs through Annotto Bay,

we have discovered that the sea has claimed some amount of the

land to the extent where portions of the roadway is dangerously

undermined. Money has been identified and granted for the

shoreline protection work in these areas.

Mr. Speaker, the loud cry from the people from the Belfield

communities has been heard and a segment of that roadway is now

being repaired.


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Mr. Speaker, from Jamaica EmergencyEmployment Programme

(JEEP), Phase One (1) the neglected community of Rosemount

exhaled with a sigh of relief as their rocky, uphill dirt-tracked road

received limited rehabilitation by scraping and laying of shingle as a

start. Let me hasten to say, Mr. Speaker, that this is just a start as the

road needs to be repaired.

A section of Grays Inn received the same treatment under the Jamaica

EmergencyEmployment Programme (JEEP) Phase One (1). Mr.

Speaker, knowing the limited fiscal space in which we operate, we are

extremely grateful.

The Westmoreland Bridge (this is in St. Mary), leading off the Junction

Road accessing the communities of Lewis Store, Clonmel, Ranch,

Cromwelland and others to the town of Highgate had collapsed from

2007 during Hurricane Gustav .


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Many appeals went out in those years that followed, demonstrations,

call to radio programmes for repairs, as it was the main road to access

these communities and to the town of Highgate. Business along this

route became stagnant or dead as without the bridge, merchants,

vehicular traffic, passer-by and daily commuters suffered great time

and monetary loss.

I am happy to report today Mr. Speaker, that at a cost of fifteen

million United States dollars (US$15M), this Bridge has been rebuilt

from scratch, bigger and better,and will be reopened within a few

months, possible weeks. That Mr. Speaker is progress.

Mr. Speaker, with all the repairs to roads afore mentioned, the state

of disrepair among others is cause for major concern and disquiet in

the Constituency of Southeast St. Mary.


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The Epsom Road, Long Road, Camberwell, same Rosemount that was

started, Baxters Mountain, Belfield Pen, Belfield Line, Brainerd, Jobs

Hill, Gibbs Hill, just to name a few, Mr. Speaker are in need of repairs.

A Constituency that borders three (3) Parishes namely, Portland, St.

Andrew and St. Catherine and comprises many hilly terrains, the road

situation will be a challenge and it is impossible to be resolved in a

short space of time, but with the representation and advocacy that I

continue to make on the behalf of my Constituents, I am sure that the

progress which has started will continue.

Mr. Speaker, I feel their pain, and I understand their impatience as

they have been enduring for a long, long time. In the same breath, I

wish to congratulate them for the responsible manner in which they

have conducted themselves, being knowledgeable and

demonstrating an understanding of the fragile state of the Country at

this time. (repeat)


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I know their hope is hinged on the fact that they have good

leadership and that the Country is ready to move in the right

direction. With everything that is happening to put the Country on

the right track for development and growth, they prefer this Pathway

to move them forward.

Hurricane Sandy 2012

Mr. Speaker, the passage of Hurricane Sandy 2013 made a bad

situation worse. As you can recall, mainly the three (3) eastern

Parishes namely St. Thomas, Portland and St. Mary felt the full effect.

It wreaked havoc to our roads, hillsides, river courses, housing and

economic crops. The subsequent heavy rains that followed shortly

after, added insult to injury, but, Mr. Speaker, the response to the

Government was swift and the life of the Constituency returned to

normality in short order.

No resources were spared in having the roadway cleared in a timely

manner.


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Many of our farmers who lost their crops during the Hurricane,

received assistance from the Rural Agricultural Development

Authority (RADA).

Constituents, some of whosehouses got damaged received monetary

assistance of up to the tune of sixty thousand dollars ($60,000.00) to

effect repairs on their houses.

Some twenty-five (25) Fisher-folks received cheques in the sum of

sixteen thousand dollars each ($16,000.00) to effect repairs to or

purchase fishing equipment.

The Annotto Bay Hospital which was badly affected, especially the

Accident and Emergency section followed by the Paediatric Ward

received swift attention from the Ministry of Health and the Minister

himself who visited and toured the facility and some sixty million

dollars ($60M) was allocated without delay to repair same.


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Here, I want to thank the RJR Communications Group who garnered

funds including my contribution from the Constituency Development

Fund to assist in the Hospital.

We also sawminor repairs to the Annotto Bay Health Centre, to the

sum of two million, two hundred thousand dollars ($2.2M). Enfield

Health Centre, approximately four hundred and fifty thousand dollars

($450,000.00) for repairs, and, while on the subject of Health Centres,

I am happy to inform that the Brainerd Health Centre was constructed

at a sum of twelve million, nine hundred thousand dollars ($12.9M)

and is ready for opening.

Mr. Speaker, the Annotto Bay Police Station was also affected during

the passing of Hurricane Sandy 2012, the Minister of National

Security visited during the aftermath and without delay, funds were

allocated to effect repairs.

This will be done in two phases.


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Phase 1 was completed at a cost of approximately six million dollars

($6M) and Phase 2 which is not yet completed is estimated to cost

approximately ten million six hundred thousand ($10.6M).

The Ministry of Housing in conjunction with Food For The Poor (FFP)

are effecting the building of houses for some of the affected persons.

Mr. Speaker, hours before the Hurricane, I was in the Constituency

advising persons to batten down their windows and doors. One of

the areas I visited was the Coastal community of Annotto Bay where

houses are perched precariously, just feet from the seashore. I could

already see the potential danger from the surges that were already

taking place.

In my visit to that same community in the aftermath of the Hurricane,

I ran a political risk of telling the persons that I would not allow

monies to be spent to rebuild on the seacoast as it poses danger not

only to property, but to life. I told them that relocation was the only

solution.


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Mr. Speaker, the rest is history.

They readily agreed, and I subsequently had dialogue with the

Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, which in conjunction with

Food For The Poor are building twenty-two (22) houses and are still

looking at the possibility of building more houses to relocate these

residents. That is caring, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is well established that the Jamaican Anancy game

was played by some unscrupulous persons who got benefits not

proportional to damages received,and I dare to say some also got

benefits although they received no damages whatsoever, whilst

persons who received major damages, got nothing and this has

caused a little ill-will in the Constituency.


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Most persons understand that this has come from deception of

unscrupulous persons among them rather than any biases from

Government, so nevertheless, the majority are saying thanks to the

Government for the swift response to their plight.

Water

Mr. Speaker, next to road , the issue of water is of great concern in

the Constituency. The amount of calls I receive daily complaining of

the lack of the commodity shows that this is high on the hierarchy of

needs and I want to spend a few minutes dealing with it.

Even with the commissioning of the water supply system, eg. in

Enfield and one commissioned at Broadgate to supply that and

adjoining communities, the supply remains inadequate.


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The water supply network throughout the Constituency, and, indeed

the entire Parish of St. Mary dates back to the 1950s. These aged

infrastructure are now undersized due to the expansions and

developments in the Parish. These challenges have contributed to

unacceptable levels of services.

Mr. Speaker, I can now comfort the Constituents of Southeast St.

Mary, through the Water Supply Parish Plan (WSPP) will be spending

some ten billion dollars ($10B) over the next twenty years in carrying

out a number of water supply rehabilitation and upgrading work

which will lead to improvement on the water supply pressure and

service reliability.

Constituents from Annotto Bay, Iterboreale Housing Scheme and

Gibraltar Housing Scheme where the pump of Cresses breaks down

almost monthly, or those in the elevated areas who constantly suffer

from low water pressure during the day time.your problem will

soon be solved with the plans ahead.


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This involves the:

1. Laying of new pipes

2. New storage tanks

3. New well to be commissioned at Agualta Vale to boost the

system.

Constituents of Castleton and Friendship Gap supplied by the

Castleton system will benefit from the replacement of pipelines and

new tanks and upgrading of pumping unit.

Constituents of Richmond, Lewis Store, Clonmel, Belfield, Orange

River Housing Scheme, Albany and Zion Hill served by the Iterboreale

and Enfield system will get similar improvement with the construction

of three (3) major storage tanks, one (1) at Enfield, One (1) at Dover

and the other one (1) at Epsom along with the upgrading of the

pumping unit.


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Constituents of Clarke Castle, Mt. Vernon and Platfield will benefit

after the laying of new pipes and the construction of a two thousand

(2000) gallon water tank.

Marlborough, Hope Well, Bungo Town, Orange River, you too will see

improvement from your Martha Hall System.

Brainerd, Sue River and Lewisburgh (the latter is without piped water)

will see improvement with the planned rehabilitation of the Brainerd

System.

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry to have spent so much time on the proposed

Water Supply Parish Plan (WSPP) but my Constituents also realize that

water is life and the lack thereof brings great distress.


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Housing

Mr. Speaker we want to thank the Government for the twenty Food

For The Poor houseswhich were given to the Constituency.

We are thankful for the Nashville Housing Scheme being developed

by the National Housing Trust in the Cromwell Land area of the

Constituency. This will entail sixty three (63) service lots along with

forty four (44) units that will be built by the Trust.

This, Mr. Speaker, will increase the housing stock in the Constituency.

In the Fort Stewart area Mr. Speaker, subdivisions for over one

hundred (100) were done for housing. We have been having dialogue

with the Minister and, the St. Mary Parish Council which has so far

done a Site visit and given their recommendations.

We are still looking around for suitable Government lands to do

similar ventures to increase the housing stock in the Constituency.


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Postal Service

Mr. Speaker I know that limited time is given to me, but I am trying to

pack in a number of important issues. I am trying to express not only

the gratitude but also the complaints of my Constituents. With

respect to Post Officesand Postal Agencies, there is not one in the

Constituency that is not in a state of disrepair, Post Offices like

Annotto Bay, Long Road, Scotts Hall and Belfield to name a few.

Some are even threatened with temporary or permanent closure.

While the majority of us use Tablets and iPhones, etcetera, we now

text, tweet, email, WhatsApp, online banking, etcetera, we need to

remember Grandma Lucille who needs to collect her little pension

money or buy her stamp and post her hand-written letter to her

granddaughter Kimmy in Connecticut.


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Mr. Speaker, we still require efficient and cost effective postal and

related services and whilst the Minister is doing very well in various

areas of his large Portfolio, my Constituency is asking you to take

another look in their direction.

Education

Mr. Speaker, in the field of Education, we have been playing our part

through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to assist in this

National Thrust. Last Financial year, we spent some Five Million

dollars ($5M) or one third (1/3) of the Fund directly or indirectly in

that regard. In Education, we were able to assist a record number of

students at all levels. Students at the Primary, All-Age, High-School

and Vocational levels were assisted with Back-to-School Vouchers.

Early Childhood was not left out. Our Basic School Children were

assisted with School Fees and other materials.


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Mr. Speaker we have established what we call the Bright Future

Programme where no child at the Basic School age should be out of

school because their parents cannot pay their school fees. We know

the importance of an early start in that, good Basic School children

make good Primary School children and good Primary School

children make good High School Children.

Similarly, good High School children make good Tertiary and good

Tertiary make good Professionals, so wherever such a child is

identified, his or her school fee, and where possible other school need

is paid for from the Constituency Development Fund.

A programme was formulated to give many young persons a second

chance of obtaining their (CXC) through classes paid for through the

Constituency Development Fund. Many from the Tertiary Institutions

got College and University Fees paid also.


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Mr. Speaker, it grieves my heart that even after this expenditure and

assistance given otherwise, there are still parents who are finding it

extremely difficult.

The statistics of negative results are frightening.

The Minister of Education has reminded us that National

Development and personal growth cannot succeed without

educational transformation and that all of us must therefore take a

share of the responsibility. I am indeed heartened by the plans for

education for this financial year and beyond and also the focus on

Literacy and Numeracy, and Vocational Skill Training.

Just last week I heard the Minister without Portfolio in the Ministryof

Transport, Worksand Housing speaking to an audience where he

described the majority of labour force in St. Mary as unskilled.

This is so true Mr. Speaker, that many times you wish to assist but

cant because of the lack of proficiency in literacy and numeracy or

the lack of certified skills.


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I want to thank you Mr. Minister of Education for the intended Adult

High School Diploma Equivalent (HSDE) which is to be offered at the

Career Advancement Programme (CAP) and Jamaica Foundation for

Lifelong Learning (JFLL), Entrepreneurship and Innovation abound.

We must develop the human capital. Big development such as the

Logistics Hub represent some US nine billion (US$9B) of foreign direct

investment with the prospect of generating tens of thousands of jobs

in a variety of fields deriving from the construction and operational

phases. Even if the majority of my Constituents do not fully grasp the

term Logistics Hub they must relate to it directly by participating in

these developments. It is a part of my duty, Mr. Speaker, to prepare

them through training.

As such, Mr. Speaker, we are looking at reviving the Skill Training

Centre at the Broadgate Community where the focus was on Garment

manufacturing and welding which ceased operation sometime in

2008. Plans are well ahead, Mr. Speaker, to restart this Skill Training

Centre with even new focus.


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Mr. Speaker, the Annotto Bay High School lies on some twenty-five

(25) acres of land. Rooms were constructed for a Vocational Training

Centre, by former Member of Parliament, Harry Douglas, but due to

the lack of classroom space, this area is now being utilized for

classrooms. We need to build new facilities and implement

programmesto start a Vocational Skill Centre there, not only for the

Annotto Baycommunity but also to include adjoining communities.

Discussions have started Mr. Speaker in this regard.

The Cape Clear property in the Lewis Store area comprises some forty

(40) acres of arable lands. This is another area for Skill Training in

various areas but must include crop production and animal

husbandry.

This idea was being worked on as early as last year but had come

upon some setbacks. It will certainly come to fruition in this financial

year of 2013-2014.


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Agriculture

Mr. Speaker, since I amon the subject of Agriculture, I want to remind

the Minister of Agriculture that we have acres upon acres of unused

arable lands, some owned by private individuals who have no interest

in Agriculture again, some who have migrated, some have willed

these properties to children who have no interest in farming and also

a great portion of these lands are owned by Government.

To compliment that Mr. Speaker, we have thousands of Constituents,

the majority are young and idle, not by choice but by their situation,

who are willing to farm these lands.

Mr. Speaker, we need to put those lands into agricultural productions.

The equation is acres of idle lands plus hundreds of idle hands

together equals agricultural production.


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Of the nine (9) proposed Agro Parks/Agro Farms, I was a bit surprised

that St. Mary was not chosen as one of the Pilots, but being

somewhat parochial, I had word with the Minister of Agriculture who

assured me that St. Mary is being considered and, I have no doubt

that the Southeastern section is ideal.

We are therefore searching and identifying lands for this and other

agricultural ventures.

Our soils have produced some of the best graded ginger in the world.

Turmeric also grows well there.

Mr. Speaker the Cocoa which was one of the main stay of the Parish

in the past, has lost its place of pride. This is partly due to the fact

that the farmers were badly remunerated for their produce with

payments not forthcoming months after delivery of the beans.


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This will soon see a change Mr. Speaker as there is renewed interest

in the crop as the French, will take up our Cocoa at a higher price as it

is currently being sold for and the new buyers will be more generous

in terms of payment schedule.

I have had talks with the President of the Jamaica Cocoa Farmers

Association and we have developed a programme to train persons

from the constituency who will visit existing Farms to do clearing,

pruning and impart knowledge to these farmers which will assist in

the rehabilitation of the crop.

The cost of this programme Mr. Speaker will be borne by the

Constituency Development Fund (CDF). Banana and plantain is also

on the rise again, and I want to commend the farmers for their

resilience as many had lost most of their crops during the passing of

Hurricane Sandy. I would also like to thank the European Union for

their tremendous assistance through grants etc which assisted greatly

in the resurgence and diversification into other crops.


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Bees

Mr. Speaker we will be using funds from the Constituency

Development Fund to train persons in Apiculture, as we realized that

there is great potential in this area, not only in Honey production but

also in the by-products.

Aquaculture

There is an existing Ornamental Fish rearing project in the

constituency which went dormant over time. We intend to in this

financial year revive same and I have been having dialogue with an

expert and invester in the field, with the intention of training persons

in the field and thereafter furnishing them with vats and the necessary

equipment along with fish for their own investment. Mr. Speaker,

research shows that there is good returns in the overseas market of

North America for ornamental fish.


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Mr. Speaker, I inherited a Goat Mother Farm Programme which too

had ran-down and most of the goats were actually distributed weeks

before the 2011 general elections. This depleted the stock to the

extent where it was not feasible to maintain for the original objective

of breeding and distributing to farmers for increased production.

My intention is to restart this project in this financial year as we

consume tons of goat meat per year, and as we all are aware the

greater portion is imported and it does not have the same taste as

our local goats.

Anything to assist the farmersand to improve on our food security

should be given serious thought.

Pig Rearing Mother Farm

Mr. Speaker, we have a pig rearing mother farm where we took three

million dollars ($3M) from the CDF last financial year to establish.


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Like the goat programme it is to breed good quality pigs, train

farmers in pig rearing then distribute the animals to them for

breeding.

Sports and Culture

The Prime Minister in her presentation reiterated that culture and

creative industries are an important part of our growth agenda. They

create avenues for social expressions, jobs and will help generate

additional streams of revenues. She also said that a cultural and

creative industries commission is being established to promote

growth and development in this area. Mr. Speaker, St. Mary is a

cultural potpourri from the Maroons of Scotts Hall to our modern

performers who have excelled both locally and internationally.


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St. Mary produces cultural icons and entertainers such as Oliver

Samuels, Amina Blackwood-Meeks, Capleton, Beris Hammond,

Ninjaman, Josey Wales, Tanya Stephens, Hopeton James, One of the

members of One Third, Determine, Clonmel Culture Group among

others.

In sports we have our future sunshine girls and our talented

footballers who hail from clubs like Axum, Grays Inn Football Club

and Highgate Football Club but do not have a home field in the entire

St. Mary to play.

That is why Mr. Speaker, I, along with my fellow Members of

Parliament from St. Mary have each donated seven hundred thousand

dollars ($700,000.00)from our Constituency Development Fund along

with Jamaica Producers Group and other Stakeholders to build stands

and other facilities to accommodate football up to Premiere league

standard. The ultimate goal is to transform it to a Mini Stadium.

The annual stage show, A St. Mary Mi Come From is held in the

Constituency. Mr. Speaker, following in this fine tradition, we will be

formulating aTalent Hunt Programmein the performing arts.


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These talents will be identified and persons assisted in future training

and exposure so that they can grasp any opportunity that may

present itself.

Mr. Speaker, the parties that we commonly called Round-Robin are a

great medium, for friends and family to meet, socialize and have fun.

They provide recreation and income in the form of the oldtime

partner-draw that we are so used to.

Let me make it clear, Mr. Speaker that I am not for promoting the

extreme night noises and dances until wee hours of the morning, as a

matter of fact the law now stipulates the time frame for these events

and we must abide by them. I am however making a public appeal to

our local security heads to ease up on the seemingly clamping down

of permission for these events.

Mr. Speaker, as soon as we have started to resolve some of the old

challenges, new ones evolve. Just last week I was talking to four (4)

ladies in the Belfield area of the Constituency and in summarizing, I

could see that the temptation exist for some to lose heart and

despair.


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But, I was encouraged Mr. Speaker, when one of the ladies said, and I

quote:

you are doing something for my son that has kept him in college,

and his father is now working at the Nashville Housing site.

She continued to say Mr. Speaker that:

the same way that the Belfield Road has been really bad for years

and now repairs have started, we just have to understand and be

patient.

Not only am I encouraged by these simple pronouncements but it

provides an impetuous to make strong representations and

passionate advocacy for my Constituents who harbour justified

expectations and aspirations.

If we are to seriously move towards realizing the relatively modest but

at the same time, relatively noble objectives of Vision 2030, certain

fundamental issues will have to be addressed now.

We cannot continue to echo catchy slogans and rhetoric that are

pleasing to the ears, nor can we simply play to the Gallery.


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If I should do that Mr. Speaker, my conscience would not allow me to

have a good meal and sleep well, if I do not become the voice of my

down trodden constituents. That is why here I have to talk up the

things.

That is why it is not enough to seek stop gap fixes to our problems.

We have to seek enduring and sustainable solutions.

I believe in what my Prime Minister says when she states that

Balancing the book while balancing peoples lives is a journey, not an

event.

Mr. Speaker, while we as a Constituency seek our development and

upliftment, we are mindful that as a part of the whole growth agenda,

the North/South Highway, the Kingston container terminal: the

Logistics Hum; diversification of our Tourism markets and the Agro

Parks will have its positive effects on us too and our share of pie is

there for the taking.

Mr. Speaker, at one stage St. Mary was regarded as the poorest Parish

in the Country, we have come from behind and are moving with well

thought out strides.


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I am convinced Mr. Speaker, that Southeast St. Mary will take its

rightful place in a developed Jamaica. When Jamaica fully becomes

the place to live, work, raise families and do business.

Southeast St. Mary will be a desired choice. Mr. Speaker, May God

Bless Jamaica, Land We Love.

sectoral presentation - dr. winston green

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