Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:
MAYOR OF Spanish Town, Andrew Wheatley, said the $300 million recently announced by Government for a flood mitigation programme involves no new money, as only a portion of the funds promised to the island's parish councils two years ago was received.
"It is misleading that the Jamaican people were told that we were getting $300 million for the parish council to do work during the hurricane season," Mr. Wheatley said yesterday.
The Spanish Town Mayor said only $157 million was provided and the remainder of the money, $143 million, will be on advance from the parochial revenue fund which will be used to fix roads, rebuild walls, fix drains and other general works.
Mr. Wheatley was speaking at a meeting in Portmore where a Jamaica Labour Party delegation comprising MP Mike Henry, Senator Arthur Williams, Keith Hinds, Keith Blake and Councillor Camille Buchanan, met to discuss problems affecting Portmore.
Among the concerns expressed were malfunctioning sewerage plants, which result in mosquito infestation and bad odours, as well as the toll road scheduled to open in less than a month while Portmore residents still do not know how much they will pay.
The group demanded that residents be told immediately what the toll would be.
