Devon Evans, Gleaner WriterST. ANN'S BAY:
THE ST. Ann Parish Council has taken the lead in the campaign to clean up Ocho Rios by allocating $3 million to improve a section of the resort town.
Mayor of St. Ann's Bay Delroy Giscombe said that there is too much talk about the dirty state of the town, and that it is time for all those in authority to act in a responsible manner to make Ocho Rios a cleaner town for everyone.
Speaking at a press briefing at the offices of the council on Wednesday, Mayor Giscombe said that while the $3 million will only be able to concentrate on work in the area around the Ocho Rios market, including the section adjacent to Main Street, it is expected that other agencies and members of the business sector will now find it necessary to do their part.
Mayor Giscombe said the Parish Council has also approved another $3 million to be spent on the St. Ann's Bay market to improve the facility and to provide additional vending space. He reminded members of the press that the council, through the Ministry of Local Government, has been paying the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) to clean up Ocho Rios and that he council, on more than one occasion, have expressed its displeasure with the service being offered by that agency.
Member of Parliament Shahine Robinson who was in attendance at the press briefing, said she had made representation to the various agencies to get Ocho Rios into a better shape, but that no one seems to be responsible, while blaming the other for not doing the work.
Mrs. Robinson said, "I will reiterate what the mayor had said that this game must stop. The buck must stop with somebody. TPDCo have said that they are no longer responsible for maintaining the verges from the White River into the town of Ocho Rios; it is the (responsibility of the NSWMA)."
The National Works Agency (NWA), she noted, has also said that it is not the agency responsible.
The Member of Parliament said someone must be responsible and that she is calling on those agencies to come forward and do what they have been mandated to do.
Mayor Giscombe reminded members of the press that the council, through the Ministry of Local Government, has been paying the NSWMA to clean up Ocho Rios and that the council, on more than one occasion, has expressed its displeasure with the service being offered by that agency.
The debate over who is responsible for cleaning up Ocho Rios was triggered by a speech made by Director of Tourism Paul Pennicook, three weeks ago, at the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce awards dinner in which he called for the clean up of Ocho Rios.
