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Wanted: a lobby group for western Jamaica
Lloyd B Smith
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
One of the main reasons behind the Jamaica Labour Party's 3-1 victory over the People's National Party in St James after the September 3 general election is that the people wanted to ensure that their parliamentary representatives were of Cabinet material.
Lloyd B Smith
It is not surprising, therefore, that Dr Horace Chang (water and housing), Clive Mullings (mining, energy and telecommunication) and Edmund Bartlett (tourism) won their seats handsomely the second time around and have been subsequently named full-fledged ministers in the Bruce Golding Cabinet.
HORACE CHANG ( left) CLIVE MULLINGS (centre) and ED BARTLETT... won their seats handsomely
This seemingly unprecedented move by Prime Minister Golding has excited the imagination of many parishioners who now feel that St James should be in for some extra special attention, given the adage that "parson tend to krissen 'im pickney first". Of course, the rest of Jamaica may well cry foul against the background that these ministers are there to serve the entire country and not just their respective constituencies.
But it is no secret that many citizens in western Jamaica have been fed up with the "Kingston is Jamaica" syndrome. They have argued for years, like this writer, that too much is centralised in the capital city and that decisions affecting the rest of us are usually made within the hallowed halls of Jamaica House, boardrooms and behind closed doors without sufficient consultation or awareness of the specific needs and peculiarities of the region.
From a geo-political standpoint, the parishes of St James, Trelawny, Hanover, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth are usually referred to as what is known as western Jamaica. In this context, Montego Bay has been regarded as the area's capital in addition to being the tourism capital of Jamaica.
However, it is fair to say that notwithstanding increased infrastructural works carried out by the previous PNP government, especially during the tenure of former prime minister PJ Patterson, there has been much under-development, especially in the social spheres. One only has to look at the numerous squatter settlements and the alarming murder rate in Montego Bay alone which speak to urban decay and crass neglect by the powers that be.
Interestingly, it is in western Jamaica that most of the major foreign direct investments, particularly in the area of tourism, have been taking place. Also in the pipeline is the western campus of the University of the West Indies, cruise-shipping facilities for both Falmouth and Lucea, a hospitality training school plus several top-of-the-line attractions.
Indeed, western Jamaica is on the cutting edge of development!
Of course, it is well known that the downside of all of this is that such developments, like sugar, attract many ants, some of which can be very deleterious.
And what this points to is that while all these great and grand plans are unfolding, not enough attention is being paid to orderly and equitable development. Pretty soon, for example, Jamaicans may have no suitable and safe beaches for recreational purposes. In other words, much of this developmental binge, apart from providing jobs and revenue for government coffers, is not addressing directly or indirectly the quality of life of the average citizen.
This is a sure recipe for social instability which could wipe out the many gains these developments are bringing to the region and country. Unfortunately, too many of our stakeholders, especially those in influential positions, are interested only in selfish pursuits, while not looking at the bigger picture.
I am therefore suggesting that the way forward must see the establishment of a western lobby group that transcends narrow partisan, sectorial and selfish interests. Such a body should include enlightened representatives from the political directorate, the private sector, community, religious and professional groupings, etc, bearing in mind, too, that Montego Bay is not western Jamaica!
In a few years, Falmouth, Lucea and Montego Bay will be forced into "an unholy matrimony", thanks to the current development path which will see their borders disappearing.
This means that resources will have to be shared as well as plans and projects will have to be done within a context of all-inclusiveness rather than exclusiveness.
I daresay that such a scenario makes the county of Cornwall the perfect guinea pig for an experiment in county council government as espoused and promoted by California-based urban planner Garfield "Shuga" Whittaker. This combined approach to local/regional government provides many worthwhile possibilities which could help transform western Jamaica not just into an ideal tourism mecca but a most desirable place for Jamaicans to live, work and play.
This lobby group should also seek to entice members of the Jamaican diaspora to come on board as planners, investors, movers and shakers and consultants, or just to give moral support. Historically, western Jamaica has always played a pivotal role in the overall development of this country.
At this point in our history, we need to make that quantum leap if we are not to be trapped in the "business-as-usual" syndrome. In another article, I shall explore further the role and function of the western lobby group. In the meantime, this writer welcomes constructive comments on the way forward.
lloybsmith@hotmail.com
Lloyd B Smith
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
One of the main reasons behind the Jamaica Labour Party's 3-1 victory over the People's National Party in St James after the September 3 general election is that the people wanted to ensure that their parliamentary representatives were of Cabinet material.
Lloyd B Smith
It is not surprising, therefore, that Dr Horace Chang (water and housing), Clive Mullings (mining, energy and telecommunication) and Edmund Bartlett (tourism) won their seats handsomely the second time around and have been subsequently named full-fledged ministers in the Bruce Golding Cabinet.
HORACE CHANG ( left) CLIVE MULLINGS (centre) and ED BARTLETT... won their seats handsomely
This seemingly unprecedented move by Prime Minister Golding has excited the imagination of many parishioners who now feel that St James should be in for some extra special attention, given the adage that "parson tend to krissen 'im pickney first". Of course, the rest of Jamaica may well cry foul against the background that these ministers are there to serve the entire country and not just their respective constituencies.
But it is no secret that many citizens in western Jamaica have been fed up with the "Kingston is Jamaica" syndrome. They have argued for years, like this writer, that too much is centralised in the capital city and that decisions affecting the rest of us are usually made within the hallowed halls of Jamaica House, boardrooms and behind closed doors without sufficient consultation or awareness of the specific needs and peculiarities of the region.
From a geo-political standpoint, the parishes of St James, Trelawny, Hanover, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth are usually referred to as what is known as western Jamaica. In this context, Montego Bay has been regarded as the area's capital in addition to being the tourism capital of Jamaica.
However, it is fair to say that notwithstanding increased infrastructural works carried out by the previous PNP government, especially during the tenure of former prime minister PJ Patterson, there has been much under-development, especially in the social spheres. One only has to look at the numerous squatter settlements and the alarming murder rate in Montego Bay alone which speak to urban decay and crass neglect by the powers that be.
Interestingly, it is in western Jamaica that most of the major foreign direct investments, particularly in the area of tourism, have been taking place. Also in the pipeline is the western campus of the University of the West Indies, cruise-shipping facilities for both Falmouth and Lucea, a hospitality training school plus several top-of-the-line attractions.
Indeed, western Jamaica is on the cutting edge of development!
Of course, it is well known that the downside of all of this is that such developments, like sugar, attract many ants, some of which can be very deleterious.
And what this points to is that while all these great and grand plans are unfolding, not enough attention is being paid to orderly and equitable development. Pretty soon, for example, Jamaicans may have no suitable and safe beaches for recreational purposes. In other words, much of this developmental binge, apart from providing jobs and revenue for government coffers, is not addressing directly or indirectly the quality of life of the average citizen.
This is a sure recipe for social instability which could wipe out the many gains these developments are bringing to the region and country. Unfortunately, too many of our stakeholders, especially those in influential positions, are interested only in selfish pursuits, while not looking at the bigger picture.
I am therefore suggesting that the way forward must see the establishment of a western lobby group that transcends narrow partisan, sectorial and selfish interests. Such a body should include enlightened representatives from the political directorate, the private sector, community, religious and professional groupings, etc, bearing in mind, too, that Montego Bay is not western Jamaica!
In a few years, Falmouth, Lucea and Montego Bay will be forced into "an unholy matrimony", thanks to the current development path which will see their borders disappearing.
This means that resources will have to be shared as well as plans and projects will have to be done within a context of all-inclusiveness rather than exclusiveness.
I daresay that such a scenario makes the county of Cornwall the perfect guinea pig for an experiment in county council government as espoused and promoted by California-based urban planner Garfield "Shuga" Whittaker. This combined approach to local/regional government provides many worthwhile possibilities which could help transform western Jamaica not just into an ideal tourism mecca but a most desirable place for Jamaicans to live, work and play.
This lobby group should also seek to entice members of the Jamaican diaspora to come on board as planners, investors, movers and shakers and consultants, or just to give moral support. Historically, western Jamaica has always played a pivotal role in the overall development of this country.
At this point in our history, we need to make that quantum leap if we are not to be trapped in the "business-as-usual" syndrome. In another article, I shall explore further the role and function of the western lobby group. In the meantime, this writer welcomes constructive comments on the way forward.
lloybsmith@hotmail.com
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