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- Clean up act or I might shut you down, Montague warns Portland PC
Published: Tuesday | July 21, 2009
Gareth Davis, Gleaner Writer
Montague
MINISTER WITH responsibility for local government, Robert Montague, has given the Portland Parish Council 30 days to clean up its act and improve its performance and governace or face sanction.
Montague, who was addressing directors of the council and parish infirmary in [COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]Port [COLOR=orange !important]Antonio[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] yesterday, threatened to dissolve the council if what he labelled a substandard performance continued, especially in the area of management.
He argued that the councillors were not pulling their weight and the leadership style of Mayor Floyd Patterson, a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor, was now under question.
"I am tempted, Mr Mayor, to invoke a certain section of the law and dissolve this council," Montague said. "If any council deserves to be dissolved, it is this one. A measure of any governance body is how you treat young people and the elderly, especially those who are helpless."
Montague said he had lost all confidence in the performance of the council, which consists of seven JLP representatives and two People's National Party councillors. He added that from what he had heard, its performance left much to be desired.
"The councillors are the policymakers and clearly they have not been effective," he said. "There is no way the council can have a poor relief committee, and this report is given by public health and things remain the same."
Montague was making reference to a damning report sent to the parish council by the Public Health Department, two weeks ago, which described conditions at the infirmary as the worst islandwide.
Unbearable
According to a section of the report, the facility was infested with flies and the stench of urine was unbearable. The report also stated that the toilet facilities had fallen into a state of disrepair and the living quarters were dilapidated.
"The effectiveness of a council is measured by the way in which it is able to deal with issues surrounding the well-being of the youth and the elderly," Montague declared. "It cannot be that such a facility, which housed the elderly, is operating in such a dire state, and with such recklessness and disregard for human beings. It is unacceptable and will not be tolerated under my watch."
The minister, who also blasted the management of the infirmary for its supposedly poor handling of the facility, called for stringent measures to be put in place to restore civic pride.
He stressed that the facility was under threat of being closed by the Public Health Department.
More work needed
Later yesterday afternoon, how-ever, during a tour of the infirmary, Montague pointed out that he was somewhat pleased with the efforts, shown by the matron at the facility, to address its many deficiencies. He said it was obvious that much more work was required and that he would be keeping a close watch on all operations at the infirmary.
In disarray
In the meantime, Montague also complained that operations at the roads and works department were clearly in disarray.
The department was criticised for failing to complete the removal of debris from a roadway in west Portland and failing to complete minor repairs to a sidewalk, despite securing a contract valued at $2 million from the National Water Commission in December last year.
"This is the kind of tardiness which I am speaking about," Montague said. "It has taken the ... roads and works department seven months to spend $2 million. And this is a contract given to this council by the NWC. There has to be some level of efficiency and accountability." The minister is scheduled to return to Portland on August 28 to determine whether the parish council and the infirmary have improved their standard of service to the citizens of the parish.
Published: Tuesday | July 21, 2009
Gareth Davis, Gleaner Writer
Montague
MINISTER WITH responsibility for local government, Robert Montague, has given the Portland Parish Council 30 days to clean up its act and improve its performance and governace or face sanction.
Montague, who was addressing directors of the council and parish infirmary in [COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]Port [COLOR=orange !important]Antonio[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] yesterday, threatened to dissolve the council if what he labelled a substandard performance continued, especially in the area of management.
He argued that the councillors were not pulling their weight and the leadership style of Mayor Floyd Patterson, a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor, was now under question.
"I am tempted, Mr Mayor, to invoke a certain section of the law and dissolve this council," Montague said. "If any council deserves to be dissolved, it is this one. A measure of any governance body is how you treat young people and the elderly, especially those who are helpless."
Montague said he had lost all confidence in the performance of the council, which consists of seven JLP representatives and two People's National Party councillors. He added that from what he had heard, its performance left much to be desired.
"The councillors are the policymakers and clearly they have not been effective," he said. "There is no way the council can have a poor relief committee, and this report is given by public health and things remain the same."
Montague was making reference to a damning report sent to the parish council by the Public Health Department, two weeks ago, which described conditions at the infirmary as the worst islandwide.
Unbearable
According to a section of the report, the facility was infested with flies and the stench of urine was unbearable. The report also stated that the toilet facilities had fallen into a state of disrepair and the living quarters were dilapidated.
"The effectiveness of a council is measured by the way in which it is able to deal with issues surrounding the well-being of the youth and the elderly," Montague declared. "It cannot be that such a facility, which housed the elderly, is operating in such a dire state, and with such recklessness and disregard for human beings. It is unacceptable and will not be tolerated under my watch."
The minister, who also blasted the management of the infirmary for its supposedly poor handling of the facility, called for stringent measures to be put in place to restore civic pride.
He stressed that the facility was under threat of being closed by the Public Health Department.
More work needed
Later yesterday afternoon, how-ever, during a tour of the infirmary, Montague pointed out that he was somewhat pleased with the efforts, shown by the matron at the facility, to address its many deficiencies. He said it was obvious that much more work was required and that he would be keeping a close watch on all operations at the infirmary.
In disarray
In the meantime, Montague also complained that operations at the roads and works department were clearly in disarray.
The department was criticised for failing to complete the removal of debris from a roadway in west Portland and failing to complete minor repairs to a sidewalk, despite securing a contract valued at $2 million from the National Water Commission in December last year.
"This is the kind of tardiness which I am speaking about," Montague said. "It has taken the ... roads and works department seven months to spend $2 million. And this is a contract given to this council by the NWC. There has to be some level of efficiency and accountability." The minister is scheduled to return to Portland on August 28 to determine whether the parish council and the infirmary have improved their standard of service to the citizens of the parish.