AN ASSESSMENT of the performance of the island's Mayors and Parish Councils one year after they were sworn into office has produced an interesting pot-pourri of new initiatives providing ground for optimism on the one hand and unfulfilled expectations and ill-defined plans being developed on the other.
A Gleaner-commissioned survey done between the end of May and the first week of this month just ahead of the first anniversary of the Jamaica Labour Party's sweeping all but two of the island's Parish Councils, has shown that in general, regime change has been good in terms of bringing new energy and vision to some of the councils. Several of them, including those in St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland, have been able to report significant improvement in revenue collection. Others have attempted to revamp their collection system by contracting out the services to private firms to good effect. Still others working in tandem with the business community report major projects being tackled, including the usual drain-cleaning and road repairs.
While most of the persons surveyed between 59 and 87 per cent knew the names of their Mayors, and acknowledged that some work had been done to improve infrastructure etc., a significant number of respondents said they did not believe enough was being done to improve conditions in their areas.
In only seven parishes, respondents rated the respective Mayors as doing anything that would rate them good to excellent, with a low of 7 per cent and a high 21.7 per cent giving them that ranking.
In seven other parishes, the Mayors received comparatively better performance ratings, from 30.6 per cent 53.8 per cent being convinced the Mayor was doing a good to excellent job. The best performing Mayor, judged by the respective constituents, was the Falmouth Mayor where over 65 per cent felt this person was doing a good to excellent job. For Falmouth, the best thing done by the council was to clean up the town with 39 per cent pointing to this aspect, and 10 per cent citing the fixing of roads.
But the concerns listed remain the same as they have over the years - the need to improve water supply, fix the roads, clean up the towns etc. Creating jobs for the unemployed completes the list of issues that people wanted the Parish Councils to address.
The survey suggests that the Mayors and new Parish Councillors still have some goodwill working in their favour, even where high expectations have yet to be met. It is imperative that this not be squandered. Also, those councils that are still drafting plans to implement project dealing with basic maintenance of infrastructure, should really get on with the programme. They should look at what their colleague councillors are doing elsewhere and follow their example. People want a transformation at the local level and parish councils have a critical role to play in the redevelopment of rural Jamaica. Let's get on with the work.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
