By Leslie McLean, Gleaner WriterCLAREMONT, St. Ann:
THE DECISION by the Ministry of Local Government to have parish councils submit yearly work programmes instead of monthly programmes has not gone down well with the St. Ann Parish Council.
This information was gleaned from the monthly meeting of the St. Ann Parish Council recently.
After Superintendent of Roads and Works George Hosang had presented information dated February 12, 2004 and faxed to the secretary-manager, Dorothy Delgato regarding parochial revenue fund. He further explained that while monthly programmes had been prepared, a yearly programme was now expected, with the monthly programme to be selected from it.
He pointed out that it was difficult to prepare a programme, "When you don't know what you are going to receive. We may have to use an average of monthly allocations."
CHANGE
Hosang explained that after submitting a monthly programme, if there was need for change, it had to be directed to the Ministry and no work should start on a monthly programme until it was approved by the Ministry.
Councillor Derrick Frater of the Alexandria division blasted the proposal, claiming, "You can have the best land in the world, one shower of rain will make the difference. We are going back to the past, not reform. We are moving from reform and taking dictatorship right back to the council."
Councillor Carol Jackson of the Ocho Rios division was, however, supportive of the proposal. She said, "What they are asking for is a projected plan. It used to be a monthly plan. In Ocho Rios, the Superintendent of Roads and Works would know which roads need priority attention. No matter how much we get, we should know a priority road."
