IT'S BEEN four months since Dr. Horace Chang, Member of Parlia-ment (MP) for North West St. James, tabled a resolution in the House of Representatives, influenced by two major outbreaks of violence in Canterbury and Flankers.
The resolution recalled the events of Wednesday, October 15, 2003, and the subsequent disturbance in Flankers from October 25 to 27, asserting that the two outbreaks represented 'the seething anger and frustration of our inner city communities.'
He therefore called on the Government to 'take effective measures to address the deepening crisis of inner-city communities.' He called further for the Development Planning for Montego Bay to be treated as a national priority and that greater urgency be given to solving the outstanding issues of illegal and unplanned settlements in and around Montego Bay... and the training and employment of qualified young men and women of inner city communities be initiated in Montego Bay.
Earl Moxam, in a recent interview, asked Dr. Chang about the issues raised in his resolution, which has not yet been debated.
Dr. Chang, how has the situation changed in Canterbury and Flankers since you tabled your resolution on November 18?
In a real sense it hasn't changed, but there is some work going on in Flankers where there is an active CDC (Community Development Committee). There are some additional initiatives to develop infrastructure.
In Canterbury there is an attempt at establishing a CDC, but nothing real has changed.
Sandals has undertaken a skills training programme through which, hopefully, young men and women in both communities will get some jobs.
Beyond that however there is the need to generate self-employment ventures. I am speaking with the Parish Develop-ment Committee, which can act as a nucleus to work with the private sector and the government to generate some activities.
I am still not satisfied that the national agencies are sufficiently seized of the urgency of the issue, and the slashing of the SESP (Social and Economic Support Programme) is not helping.
Are you satisfied with the process of bringing the resolution to the floor of the House for a debate?
The Minister (Leader of Govern-ment Business) was not happy that I had named the two men killed in Flankers in the resolution because the matter is still going through the judicial process. So we have an understanding that I will bring it to the House shortly with a slight amendment eliminating the names because it is still with the DPP's office.
You have referred to declining social conditions in Montego Bay. How much of a factor is that?
HC: That is a really serious problem not only for Montego Bay... In the urban areas in particular there is an absence of male role models. Single mothers have to go to work leaving the children without any appropriate male role models and we do not have an appropriate programme to deal with this, particularly as it relates to the impact on the boys who are vulnerable to the wrong influences.
The development planning process for Montego Bay has to be treated as a national priority. We have a problem with the GMRC (Greater Montego Bay Redevelop-ment Committee) having not met for four years. Recently I got some young professionals to look at the GMRC's plan and to see how it could be operationalised. There were some elements that needed to be completed and we brought in some of the trustees of the GMRC and we are involving the parish council in looking at how to bring the issue forward.
The NHT is hoping to put some money into the planning process along with the Council which is the local planning authority. Most of Montego Bay has developed without any organised planning and that's a major problem.
Is the Operation Relocation initiative having a positive impact?
That programme is a very small initiative which is helpful, but does not go to the heart of the squatting problem. Operation Relocation is dealing with a big yard problem old houses in a tenement yard situation that needed to be relocated to improve the look of downtown Montego Bay. There needs to be a more concerted initiative to deal with the squatter problem. Conceptually the PRIDE initiative is a good idea but the implementation needs to be improved. Attempts are being made to clean up the situation. Milverton Reynolds the new managing director of the NHDC, which is managing the initiative now, is attempting to clean up the situation and the new directions being pursued are encouraging.
