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MoBay fed up!
Lloyd B Smith
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
In the aftermath of the September 3, 2007 general election, the Jamaica Labour Party won three out of the four seats in St James. Dr Horace Chang won handsomely in North West St James beating off a spirited challenge from political new kid on the block Henry McCurdy; Edmund Bartlett whipped a perceived lightweight Donald Colomathi in East Central St James; while over in West Central St James, relative newcomer Clive Mullings ended the illustrious parliamentary career of Francis Tulloch, a seasoned campaigner, by comfortably edging him out at the finish line.
In the wake of this bludgeoning of the PNP by the JLP, the people of St James who had become disenchanted with the PJ Patterson and Portia Simpson Miller administrations began to have great expectations. And these great expectations were even further heightened when JLP leader and prime minister, Bruce Golding, appointed a number of prominent Montegonians to influential national posts. Among his dream team are Winston Dear, the presumed czar of MoBay, Godfrey Dyer, Mark Hart, George Johnson, Homer Davis, Don Smith, George Thomas, Mark Kerr-Jarrett, Robert Russell, and Noel Donaldson.
No doubt Mr Golding was anxious to reward a number of these men (the Western 11) for having stood by him in the lean years when he broke away from the Edward Seaga-led JLP and formed the National Democratic Movement. Indeed, it is no secret that Mr Golding found much succour and comfort in the western city during those trying years, so much so that a certain entertainment spot in the western city has been seen as the "Camp David" of the prime minister where he often comes to cool out, unwind, get advice and strategise. In this vein, many Montegonians, including this writer, became excited over the prospect of the Bay getting much attention. Of course, the icing on the cake was the naming of the three MPs as ministers of government - Tourism (Bartlett), Mining, Energy and Telecomnications (Mullings), Water and Housing (Chang). Alas, after a year in office, the euphoria has gradually changed to exasperation.
Just look at the Montego Bay socio-economic landscape and there is enough valid evidence to substantiate why so many citizens (among them supporters of the Golding administration) have become fed up, frustrated and disappointed. For some time now, St James has been dubbed the murder capital of Jamaica which in turn has been named the murder capital of the world! Remarkably, this rash of homicides has not yet infiltrated the already most vulnerable tourist industry, but if the current trend continues, it will only be a matter of time before it happens. Then what?
Against this background, many players in the tourism sector are quietly fuming, but do not want to come out publicly and expose their fears and concerns as they still have a great deal of respect for the Golding team. Look at what has been happening on Gloucester Avenue which has been hyped as the Hip Strip. On any given day or night, there is total disorder, visitors are being harassed and robbed and there is a general sense of lawlessness.
Just recently, an English tourist was walking along the Hip Strip when he was surrounded by five prostitutes who all offered to give him the time of his life. One of them even started to strip in order to heighten his interest. He relented and was subsequently physically attacked, receiving a nasty knife cut. Bleeding profusely, he ran into a well-known shop where the proprietor hastily arranged for him to be rushed to the Cornwall Regional Hospital for emergency treatment.
Just down the road, at an area known as Dump Up Beach, on one night alone, three women were dragged off the street and raped. Gladly, the police were able to accost three of these miscreants. Reportedly, one was shot dead while two escaped. The frightening news is that all three men were said to be HIV positive. In the meantime, one of the problems plaguing that area where men and women are held up and robbed, raped and violently assaulted is the lack of proper lighting. And guess what, the lights have been acquired and paid for, but are yet to be installed because of the usual bureaucratic bungling involving the St James Parish Council and the Jamaica Public Service Company. Meanwhile, the vexing question is, why is it taking so long to improve and develop the Hip Strip? The stakeholders came up with a plan and it is understood that the TPDCo is pursuing a similar path, but what gives?
By the way, that mobile surveillance unit that cost taxpayers millions of dollars that was supposed to monitor the Hip Strip and downtown the city has become a sick joke. The consensus is it serves no useful purpose.
Then there is the old hospital site that has been earmarked for a major upgrading which would see it being transformed into a beautiful park. The money has been identified and all is said to be in place, yet so far the Urban Development Corporation which is supposed to implement the project has been dragging its feet. No wonder the prime minister had to fire that board!
But this is only the tip of the iceberg! The dualisation of the Bogue Road which continues to be a daily nightmare to commuters and motorists was supposed to have started in October. Now we are almost at the end of the month and there has been a deafening silence as to the future of this project. Coupled with this untenable situation is the fact that the western city is desperately in need of a proper traffic management system which again we have been told has been approved and is to be installed, but when? Downtown Montego Bay is one big traffic snarl morning, noon and night, with very little sustained police presence. Isn't it time our city fathers wake up and deal with this vexing problem?
MoBay is experiencing a long delay in the repairing and upgrading of both the Harbour Street and Old Fort craft markets; the announced beautification and maintenance of Alice Eldemire Drive and Howard Cooke Boulevard (whatever happened to Spruce Up Jamaica, Minister Bartlett?); dealing with the volatile street vending scenario as the Christmas season draws near; the proliferation of street garages et al.
In the meantime, there needs to be meaningful social intervention, especially in the crime-infested communities where hundreds of young men and women remain untrained, unemployed and directionless.
There have been many complaints by Golding-ites that it is the bureaucrats and technocrats who are holding up the process, thus stymieing the best intentions of the government. Some have even suggested sabotage. Well, when you are in government, you govern.
Full stop. The buck has to stop somewhere. In any event, to whom much is given, much is expected. Suffice it to say that the people of St James in general, and Montego Bay in particular, are fed up, having put so much faith and trust in the JLP by way of votes. The three MPs are being seen as "missing persons" for the most part, and the St James Parish Council is embarrassingly ineffective, with the "dream team" seeming to be standing in the shadows waiting for the heartbreaks to come. Time to crack the whip, Mr Golding. Action, we are tired of the "bag-o-mouth"!
lloydbsmith@hotmail.com
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...AY_FED_UP_.asp
Lloyd B Smith
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
In the aftermath of the September 3, 2007 general election, the Jamaica Labour Party won three out of the four seats in St James. Dr Horace Chang won handsomely in North West St James beating off a spirited challenge from political new kid on the block Henry McCurdy; Edmund Bartlett whipped a perceived lightweight Donald Colomathi in East Central St James; while over in West Central St James, relative newcomer Clive Mullings ended the illustrious parliamentary career of Francis Tulloch, a seasoned campaigner, by comfortably edging him out at the finish line.
In the wake of this bludgeoning of the PNP by the JLP, the people of St James who had become disenchanted with the PJ Patterson and Portia Simpson Miller administrations began to have great expectations. And these great expectations were even further heightened when JLP leader and prime minister, Bruce Golding, appointed a number of prominent Montegonians to influential national posts. Among his dream team are Winston Dear, the presumed czar of MoBay, Godfrey Dyer, Mark Hart, George Johnson, Homer Davis, Don Smith, George Thomas, Mark Kerr-Jarrett, Robert Russell, and Noel Donaldson.
No doubt Mr Golding was anxious to reward a number of these men (the Western 11) for having stood by him in the lean years when he broke away from the Edward Seaga-led JLP and formed the National Democratic Movement. Indeed, it is no secret that Mr Golding found much succour and comfort in the western city during those trying years, so much so that a certain entertainment spot in the western city has been seen as the "Camp David" of the prime minister where he often comes to cool out, unwind, get advice and strategise. In this vein, many Montegonians, including this writer, became excited over the prospect of the Bay getting much attention. Of course, the icing on the cake was the naming of the three MPs as ministers of government - Tourism (Bartlett), Mining, Energy and Telecomnications (Mullings), Water and Housing (Chang). Alas, after a year in office, the euphoria has gradually changed to exasperation.
Just look at the Montego Bay socio-economic landscape and there is enough valid evidence to substantiate why so many citizens (among them supporters of the Golding administration) have become fed up, frustrated and disappointed. For some time now, St James has been dubbed the murder capital of Jamaica which in turn has been named the murder capital of the world! Remarkably, this rash of homicides has not yet infiltrated the already most vulnerable tourist industry, but if the current trend continues, it will only be a matter of time before it happens. Then what?
Against this background, many players in the tourism sector are quietly fuming, but do not want to come out publicly and expose their fears and concerns as they still have a great deal of respect for the Golding team. Look at what has been happening on Gloucester Avenue which has been hyped as the Hip Strip. On any given day or night, there is total disorder, visitors are being harassed and robbed and there is a general sense of lawlessness.
Just recently, an English tourist was walking along the Hip Strip when he was surrounded by five prostitutes who all offered to give him the time of his life. One of them even started to strip in order to heighten his interest. He relented and was subsequently physically attacked, receiving a nasty knife cut. Bleeding profusely, he ran into a well-known shop where the proprietor hastily arranged for him to be rushed to the Cornwall Regional Hospital for emergency treatment.
Just down the road, at an area known as Dump Up Beach, on one night alone, three women were dragged off the street and raped. Gladly, the police were able to accost three of these miscreants. Reportedly, one was shot dead while two escaped. The frightening news is that all three men were said to be HIV positive. In the meantime, one of the problems plaguing that area where men and women are held up and robbed, raped and violently assaulted is the lack of proper lighting. And guess what, the lights have been acquired and paid for, but are yet to be installed because of the usual bureaucratic bungling involving the St James Parish Council and the Jamaica Public Service Company. Meanwhile, the vexing question is, why is it taking so long to improve and develop the Hip Strip? The stakeholders came up with a plan and it is understood that the TPDCo is pursuing a similar path, but what gives?
By the way, that mobile surveillance unit that cost taxpayers millions of dollars that was supposed to monitor the Hip Strip and downtown the city has become a sick joke. The consensus is it serves no useful purpose.
Then there is the old hospital site that has been earmarked for a major upgrading which would see it being transformed into a beautiful park. The money has been identified and all is said to be in place, yet so far the Urban Development Corporation which is supposed to implement the project has been dragging its feet. No wonder the prime minister had to fire that board!
But this is only the tip of the iceberg! The dualisation of the Bogue Road which continues to be a daily nightmare to commuters and motorists was supposed to have started in October. Now we are almost at the end of the month and there has been a deafening silence as to the future of this project. Coupled with this untenable situation is the fact that the western city is desperately in need of a proper traffic management system which again we have been told has been approved and is to be installed, but when? Downtown Montego Bay is one big traffic snarl morning, noon and night, with very little sustained police presence. Isn't it time our city fathers wake up and deal with this vexing problem?
MoBay is experiencing a long delay in the repairing and upgrading of both the Harbour Street and Old Fort craft markets; the announced beautification and maintenance of Alice Eldemire Drive and Howard Cooke Boulevard (whatever happened to Spruce Up Jamaica, Minister Bartlett?); dealing with the volatile street vending scenario as the Christmas season draws near; the proliferation of street garages et al.
In the meantime, there needs to be meaningful social intervention, especially in the crime-infested communities where hundreds of young men and women remain untrained, unemployed and directionless.
There have been many complaints by Golding-ites that it is the bureaucrats and technocrats who are holding up the process, thus stymieing the best intentions of the government. Some have even suggested sabotage. Well, when you are in government, you govern.
Full stop. The buck has to stop somewhere. In any event, to whom much is given, much is expected. Suffice it to say that the people of St James in general, and Montego Bay in particular, are fed up, having put so much faith and trust in the JLP by way of votes. The three MPs are being seen as "missing persons" for the most part, and the St James Parish Council is embarrassingly ineffective, with the "dream team" seeming to be standing in the shadows waiting for the heartbreaks to come. Time to crack the whip, Mr Golding. Action, we are tired of the "bag-o-mouth"!
lloydbsmith@hotmail.com
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...AY_FED_UP_.asp
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