FALMOUTH, Trelawny

Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Jonathan Bartley, is admitting that the $11 million building fee which came from the greenfield stadium in Falmouth is finished, but is strongly denying any claim of chicanery in the spending of the money.

The mayor painstakingly chronicled the expenditure by saying that the money is in the proposed income for building fees. He said, "A budget of $19 million was passed and sent to the Local Government Ministry which also got its approval." He noted that, "The greenfield money was factored in the budget to run the affairs of the council." He said the money collected was $17.5 million which is $1.5 million less than the budget.

He stressed that this money collected from the stadium, which is approved by the Local Government Ministry, is for the running of the council and not a grant by any organisation to fund Cricket World Cup (CWC) and therefore, "It is misleading for anyone to say this money must go towards CWC and to thereafter say it is corruption if it is not directly spent towards the CWC is a political mischief."

- Richard Morais

MAY PEN, Clarendon

Chairman of the Clarendon Association for Street People (CLASP), Ethel Brown, has expressed concern and dismay at the increase in the number of mentally challenged persons in the town of May Pen.

Mrs. Brown was responding to the concerns raised by the health authorities in Clarendon and other agencies in the parish about the plight of the mentally ill. She also suggested that may have come from other parishes.

"We believe they are being exported into the parish, based on where we see them," said Mrs. Brown.

The CLASP chairman is appealing for help to adequately meet some of the basic needs of the 17 males housed at its shelter in Denbigh.

Mrs. Brown added that the shelter has extensive infrastructural damage, and as such, limits their ability to house other inmates. "We would love to extend our services to others, but we have a leaking roof, among other concerns."

- Stephanie Elliott

SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine

At least 87 per cent of the houses across the island are uninsured, according to Faith Fletcher, broker liaison officer for NEM Insurance Company. She said that Jamaican householders need to do far more when it comes to insuring their properties. Ms. Fletcher was speaking during the St. Catherine leg of the Jamaica National Building Society's (JNBS) islandwide Hurricane Preparedness Forum.

According to her, along with the large percentage of uninsured homes, 40 per cent are built in high-risk areas. She said that all of Jamaica National's 24 branches are affiliated with NEM Insurance and this can make it easier for persons to insure their houses.

- Rasbert Turner

PORT ANTONIO, Portland

Just days after assuming the chairmanship of the Portland Parish Council, Benny White is now anticipating his further ascension to become Mayor of Port Antonio.

Like current Port Antonio Mayor Rupert Kelly, who had to await a decision from then Minister of Local Government, Portia Simpson Miller, to be given the title, Mr. White is now awaiting conferment from current Minister, Dean Peart.

The parish council chairman told The Gleaner this week that he expects to assume the position of mayor within another week.

Meantime, Ann-Marie Mittoo, director of communications at the Local Government Ministry, told The Gleaner that legal documents have been sent to Minister Peart, regarding the position. She said that, once the minister gives the approval and that decision is gazetted, Councillor White should be conferred with the title of mayor.

- Gareth Davis

KINGSTON

Fifty-three secondary and primary schools students were awarded scholarships at the 15th annual Life of Jamaica (LoJ) Corporate Scholarship Awards ceremony held at the LoJ Centre, New Kingston, on Thursday. The scholarships, divided into three categories, ranged from $10,000 to $25,000 each.

Paulette Ulett, vice-president for employee benefits at LoJ, said the programme was designed to provide financial assistance to the academic livelihood of the children of permanent LoJ employees who had fulfilled the qualification criteria. This, she stated, required applicants maintaining a B+ average, "demonstrating character, integrity and outstanding leadership qualities" and an active extra-curriculum record in school.

- Marlon Vickerman

RUNAWAY BAY, St Ann

Opposition Spokesman on Labour and Social Security, Ruddy Spencer, has accused the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of being tardy in ensuring that construction sites are inspected as prescribed by law.

In a statement, Mr. Spencer said that the ministry has been negligent in carrying out its duties and that, if this was done, the Government would not have to be putting in place strict adherence to safety health practices at major projects such as the Bahía Principe hotel under construction in St. Ann.

Last week, a section of the hotel under construction at Pear Tree Bottom in that parish collapsed, killing one worker. Several others were injured.

"We have been very critical of the Ministry of Labour in the past on its failure to ensure that the Factories Inspectorate Division is properly equipped to enforce the prescriptions of the Factories Act," said Mr. Spencer.

- Contributed