By Junior Grandison, Gleaner WriterWESTMORELAND: THE WESTMORELAND Parish Council, as part of its observation of Local Government Month, hosted a Junior Council meeting at the St. George's Anglican Church Hall Savanna-la-Mar on last Thursday.
A number of students drawn from schools within the Council's 14 parochial divisions participated.
For the first time, the junior councillors were competing for the Ralph Anglin Trophy donated by the former Mayor which was awarded to the most outstanding junior councillor. The trophy was won by Rhea Gayle, 11, a student of the Negril All-Age and junior councillor for the Negril Division.
Mayor Delford Morgan, in presenting Gayle with the trophy commended her for an able presentation.
Gayle made her presentation with much composure and much like a young energetic and aspiring politician, earning the applause of her colleague 'councillors'.
Junior councillor Gayle, in her presentation, said some politicians were not delivering to the people they serve, but in her term of office, she wants to go down on record as one who delivers. So against this background, she emphatically called upon the Council to speed up the process in making lands available for the new cemetery at Sheffield.
"The rich can afford to buy spots in Savanna-la-Mar to bury their dead while others will have to continue digging and disturbing the old folks in their graves in order to bury their loved ones."
DEPLORABLE ROAD CONDITIONS
Other problems outlined by Gayle includes the deplorable conditions of Orange Hill and Dawes Lane roads in her Division.
"It seems as if we are waiting on the people to block these roads before we listen to their plea," she said.
She also underscored the need for pedestrian crossings at the Negril and Sheffield All-Age schools, noting that recently students have been hit down in the vicinity of the school by motorists.
In closing, Gayle called on the disaster preparedness co-ordinator of the Westmoreland Parish Council to pay some attention to the conditions existing at two schools in her division which are being used as emergency shelters. The buildings suffer from leaking roofs, cracked walls and faulty wiring.
"Something must be done about these shelters if we are to alleviate human suffering should disaster strike," said the junior councillor.
The other junior councillors in their presentations highlighted problems relating to poor road conditions, improper drainage, lack of telephones, water, street lights and other basic needs.
Junior Mayor Althea Jackson representing the Savanna-la-Mar division in her closing remarks said, "This honourable event is a symbol of hope. We have been convinced that our politicians are reaching out to the people and what a better way to do so than by involving young people in their meetings, regardless of the fact that our nation's politics is under scrutiny," said Althea.
"We are eternally grateful for this opportunity. I hope these presentations will not fall on deaf ears. And we hope that our activities will be taken into consideration when all is said and done."
