Angry residents of Manchester gather in front of the Mandeville Courthouse on Thursday to get a glimpse of the men, including a senior manager of a Super Plus store in Mandeville, who have been accused of beating two young men who were employed to the store. - Norman Grindley/ Deputy Chief Photographer
Ocho Rios, ST. ANN
Over 3,000 students and teachers from four schools in St. Ann are now more aware of the hazards of earthquakes, after they took part in a sensitisation programme during Earthquake Awareness Week (January 8-13).
The programme was organised by the parish's Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) branch, in collaboration with the Jamaica Information Service (JIS).
Parish coordinator of the ODPEM, Alvin Clarke, told JIS news that the main objective of the awareness programme was to provide the schools with information on the threats of earthquakes, how to prevent injury and loss of life, and how to be prepared in the event of
a disaster.
Mr. Clarke said that the
feedback from the participants was very good from various schools.
JIS
Montego Bay, ST. JAMES
More than 400 4-H clubbites in St. James, along with their leaders, have benefited from training sessions organised by the parish's advisory council since the start of the year.
According to 4-H parish manager for St. James, Barbara Lawrence, the training programme was a continuous one and was geared towards equipping the clubbites with the necessary skills to properly function in the society.
Noting that the training was age-specific, Mrs. Lawrence explained that seminars in skirt making, cake baking and decorating, poultry care, budding, grafting, and composting of plants were for clubbities 13 to 18 years old, while training in table setting, rabbit care and management was for the nine to 12-year-olds.
In addition, the goat care and management training sessions are targeted at clubbites 15 years and over, while the agro-processing seminars are open to all age groups.
JIS
Black River, ST. ELIZABETH
On Sunday, the South St. Elizabeth Diabetes and Multi-Care Centre was officially opened in Pedro Plains with a thanksgiving and dedication service held at the St. Peter's Anglican Church.
Fern Falconer-Lenke chaired the function, while Bishop Harold Daniels and the Reverend Carlton Tulloch officiated over the dedication.
Calbert Berlin, a returned resident, and the nurse at the institution shared their commitment and dreams leading up to construction of the facility, which got support from the local community through fund-raisers, as well as from friends, relatives and agencies, both in the United Kingdom and the United States, where Mr. Berlin had worked before returning to Jamaica.
Guest speaker, Professor,
Errol Morrison, congratulated the citizens of south St. Elizabeth who made the facility possible.
Analee Bernard
Port Antonio, PORTLAND
Residents of Portland, who are eligible for assistance under the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education and have not yet registered under the programme, are being advised to do so now.
Gloria Clarke, parish manager for the Portland office of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, said that persons desirous of registering under the programme should do so at the office at 3 Smatt Road in Port Antonio between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Mondays to Thursdays, and 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Prospective participants should bring with them valid identification and copies of their children's birth certificates, she noted.
Mrs. Clarke said that her office was specifically targeting persons living in the remote areas of the parish, who might not be fully aware of the initiative, and a public education programme had been planned to reach those persons.
JIS
Lluidas Vale, ST. CATHERINE
The National Works Agency is constructing a Bailey bridge in Lluidas Vale, St. Catherine, at the point which serves as a gateway to the district of Point Hill. The bridge became necessary after a ford, which existed at the site, was completely destroyed by the ravages of flood waters associated with Hurricane Wilma late last year.
At present, a makeshift road adjacent to the bridge is being used by residents. However, the makeshift pathway is hazardous to operators of heavy vehicles, and as such it cannot accommodate the cane trucks travelling from Point Hill to the Worthy Park sugar factory. This is of great concern to cane farmers in that area. They were reassured that the new bridge would be ready by the
month end.
Elgin Taylor
Mandeville, MANCHESTER
Children attending the School of Hope on Woodlawn Road will find their learning environment more comfortable once construction of a new multimillion-dollar building is completed. The building, which will house two classrooms and
several bathrooms, is being
constructed by the Rotary Club of Mandeville.
The school is the learning centre for nearly 100 children with some form of impairment. With the student population and demands for its services growing monthly, the school's facilities were deemed
inadequate.
On Tuesday, the Jamaica Money Market Brokers Limited also came to the school's assistance by donating $190,000 to the Rotary Club to offset the cost of the construction. Ground was broken for the new building in last September,
at which time National Commercial Bank handed
over $250,000 towards its
construction.
Angelo Laurence
Lucea, HANOVER
The Hanover Parish Council is spearheading the implementation of a development plan for the parish, and has contracted the services of the University of Technology (UTech) to assist in putting the plan together.
This comes against the background of the large number of development projects, which are slated to take place within the parish over the next two years.
According to secretary/manager of the Hanover Parish Council, Alfred Graham, as recent as December 12, a meeting was held between the parish council and representatives from the Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Sports; the Hanover Parish Development Committee; the Hanover Chamber of Commerce and representatives of UTech, to discuss plans.
JIS
Black River, ST. ELIZABETH
In its efforts to audit all the standpipes in the parish of St. Elizabeth, the National Water Commission (NWC) has chided the St. Elizabeth Parish Council for not cooperating with the auditing process.
A recent letter sent to the
council by the NWC states that
numerous attempts have been made to coordinate an audit of the standpipes in the parish, but the NWC has not been able to carry out the audit, because the parish council refused to cooperate.
However, when contacted by The Gleaner for a comment, the council's acting Superintendent of Road and Works, Damian Simms, said the agency had received a list of standpipes that were supposed to be audited, but some discrepancies were noted on the list. He also noted that the $2.4 million that the commission claimed the council owed
in unpaid water bills for the
standpipes was incorrect.
Rayon Dyer
