By Denise Clarke, Staff Reporter
Crooks
WESTERN BUREAU:
LUCEA MAYOR Lester Crooks wants to see more transparency in Local Government, and more accountability from political representatives.
In keeping with this view, he has asked councillors within the Hanover Parish Council to tell the public this month what they have achieved over the past year, and to outline the plans for their divisions. Having just completed his first year in office as a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) representative, Mayor Crooks is passionate about keeping the public informed of the Council's activities.
MORE ACCOUNTABILITY
"As Mayor we have to be more accountable to the people. In fact, all councillors need to be more accountable to the people they represent. Transparency must be the call of the day because when the public is aware of what is happening and that we are doing what is required of us, then they will be satisfied with the type of representation that they are getting," the Mayor noted.
He outlined the work the Council has been doing throughout the parish over the past year, including drain-cleaning, amounting to more than $6 million, and ongoing road work costing $31 million. Young persons within the parish are also high on the Mayor's agenda, and he said that a lot of resources has been spent renovating recreation areas in several communities. His project now is the establishment of a community training programme where, starting this summer, young persons will be taught sewing skills after which they are expected to assist in making sportswear for community groups.
ASSISTING THE YOUTH
"In several communities we see where too many youths are idle on the roadside and we cannot find jobs for them at this time, and so we can actually take them off the streets and have them at these community centres doing something productive," Mayor Crooks explained.
For the coming months, the Mayor hopes to concentrate on increasing revenue intake and fee collection, a process which has already reaped huge rewards. In the past year, collection of building fees moved from $250,000 monthly to $850,000 per month. The Council will also look to earn more revenue from the Lucea bus park and a car park to be erected in Hopewell. The Mayor hopes to see the Council generate enough revenue to become financially independent in the not too distant future.
"We are expecting 2004/2005 to be a better year. We have set our targets for the next 12 months and I think that with me as the chairman we will reach our goal," Mayor Crooks said.
