Devon Evans, Gleaner Writer
A man drinks water from a pipe that leads from the spring in the Oracabessa community. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
IN THE constituency of Western St. Mary, several persons who were interviewed said they were not aware of any projects or programmes involving the use of funds from the Social and Economic Support Programme (SESP).
The constituency is repre-sented in Parliament by the PNP's Dr. Neil McGill, a medical practitioner. Some of the major problems that the residents say they face are the lack of proper roads, high unemployment and inadequate housing.
Travelling from Prospect on the north western border of western St. Mary through Charles Town, Gayle and on to Jeffrey Town, motorists will encounter some of the worst roads in the country, especially between Gayle and Jeffrey Town where some sections are more like a river bed.
ROADS IN POOR STATE
The residents of Jeffrey Town reported that the roads have been in that poor state for a long time. One man who identified himself only as Josh said MP McGill has been trying to get the roads fixed but he is not getting any assistance from the Government.
Asked about the MP's SESP funds he responded, "Him trying his best fi tek care of certain tings but dis road alone gwine tek millions a dollars fi fix."
Apart from Josh, several of those contacted had no knowledge of the MP's SESP funds. Others declined to comment.
Councillor for the Boscobel division in the constituency, the JLP's, Michael Belnavis was very adamant in his claim that he knew nothing about SESP in that division, which he described as one of the largest in western St. Mary.
"I have been a councillor for over a year and a half and I want to state it clearly that I have never received a call from the MP to work on any project, any programme or any committee and I have never received any financial assistance from him."
COUNCILLORS DISGRUNTLED
Mr. Belnavis said that all the money that is spent in the Boscobel division comes from the $20,000 he receives from the St. Mary Parish Council each month, along with his salary as a councillor.
The councillor for the Oracabessa Division, the PNP's Donald Sutherland, was not too happy with Dr. McGill either. He said, "I know that from time to time, he does a little project in the constituency. He assists several individuals with indigent housing and he provides students with educational assistance."
However, Councillor Suther-land said that what he is not pleased about is that the MP is not informing councillors about the source of the funding of those projects and whether they are from his SESP.
He said former MP Terry Gillet would have called in his councillors and discussed work projects with them and would also allocate funds to the Parish Council for projects.
"I don't know if he has any confidence in the councillors' spending the money, but as you know, everybody have their own style," Councillor Sutherland concluded.
Sesp projects
The SESP Unit, located in the office of the Cabinet, has provided the following list of projects which it said have been implemented:
Cleaning of drains and gullies;
Community street lighting;
Latrine upgrading;
Electrical extension;
Market upgrading;
Indigent housing;
Repair to farm roads;
Community centre upgrading;
Small and micro-enterprise development;
Tourism incentive;
Labour Day clean-up;
Sports complexes;
Economic enablement: (block-making, construction of woodwork shop, purchasing of welding plant and a Revolving Loan Fund, used for micro-businesses, such as trading).
The Unit did not specify where the projects were implemented or when.
