BLACK RIVER, ST ELIZABETH:

The St Elizabeth Parish Council has received a total of 50 new street lamps for the financial year ending in March.

The street lamps are to be installed across the 15 parish council divisions in St Elizabeth on a phased basis.

Gerald Lee, acting secretary/ manager of the council made the announcement during a recent meeting at the agency.

However, Jamaica Labour Party councillor for the Malvern division Donald Simpson was anxious to know how the street lamps would be installed in the parish. The Malvern councillor said in the past, the allocation of the lights took too long and so a new system was necessary to ensure expediency.

There was no indication as to when the installation of the street lamps would commence.

PORT MARIA, ST MARY:

Mayor of Port Maria Richard Creary has declared St Mary's capital a flood zone unless the National Works Agency (NWA) acts quickly to remove a bridge that was constructed in the town in 2006.

The bridge, which stretches across the Outrum River, was constructed as a temporary means of moving traffic in and out of the town while repairs were being done on the permanent bridge structure.

During the heavy rains of November 2006, several business places were flooded out, with the elevation of the bridge being blamed as the primary factor. Several business persons have said since then they dread heavy rain in the town and fear for their livelihood. They, too, want the bridge removed before the rainy season.

Creary said he has been calling for something to be done to the bridge before another major flood and since repairs have already been completed on the permanent structure he wants the bridge removed. When this is done he said he is hoping that a pedestrian bridge which is much smaller and of a higher elevation be erected so as to reduce the possible pile up in debris at the foot of the bridge.

MANDEVILLE, MANCHESTER:

Deputy Director of Public Prose-cution (DPP) Lisa Palmer is contending that human trafficking is one the worst human rights violation, occurring in Jamaica today.

"Trafficking in human beings is a modern day form of slavery," said Palmer, who was addressing members of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce at the golf View Hotel recently.

She said the victims are typically forced or coerced into various forms of exploitation such as sexual activities or forced labour.

The activity, Palmer said, generates profits comparable to trading in narcotics.

Palmer, who has acted as director of public prosecution, said the country could not turn a blind eye when children were being transported from place to place within its borders to be pimped by those who should be protecting them.

Saying the problem was evident in Jamaica, Palmer accused professional foreign nationals residing in Jamaica, of bringing persons for the purpose of domestic servitude or forced labour.

There are seven cases of human trafficking now before the Jamaican courts.

OCHO RIOS, ST ANN:

Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced that government would be setting up constituency offices across the island for all 60 members of parliament (MPs) over the next three years.

He was speaking over the weekend at the official opening of the first constituency office for MPs in Brown's Town, St Ann. The new MPs office is air marked for the residents of the North West St Ann constituency.

The office, which will be occupied by first time MP Othneil Lawrence, is seen as a landmark development for representational politics in Jamaica.

The Prime Minister said careful consideration would be given to ensuring that the office of the MP is located in an area comfortable for everyone.

Golding pointed out that the process of providing offices for MPs could take place very quickly in some constituencies, especially in areas where there are unused government buildings, which can be converted into an office.