RIVERSIDE, Hanover — MAYOR of Lucea and Chairman of the Hanover Parish Council Wynter McIntosh has agreed to oversee programmes in the Riverside Division that have been abandoned since People’s National Party councillor for the area fell ill three months ago.
“I want to move in the division by Wednesday [yesterday] to have hands-on information as it relates to those programmes that have been set out, after which I will have dialogue with the Member of Parliament [Ian Hayles], as to some of the things he would love to see,” McIntosh said.
For the past three months, Lester Crooks, who is still recuperating, has been on sick leave.
He, however, attended last week’s sitting of the Hanover Parish Council general monthly meeting. During the meeting, Crooks, who is also a former mayor of Lucea, broke down in tears, lamenting that his division has been neglected during his absence.
“Nothing has been done to the division, believe you me, by this council. I am ashamed,” he said, “so much ashamed.”
Mayor McIntosh gave an assurance that the Riverside Division would be given priority attention.
Speaking with the Jamaica Observer West early this week, the mayor pointed out that he has only been in the position now for a month and these issues should have been addressed by the former mayor, Shernet Haughton. He said the councillors had formed the impression that the programmes were being implemented in the division.
“It is my duty now to move into the division as the chairman of council along with the Road and Works Department [of the council] to make sure that the programmes that were set out by the councillor are achieved,” said McIntosh.
Some of the programmes to be implemented are the cleaning of drains and the bushing of roadways.
“With the ChikV [chikungunya] going around now, I have to move in fast to see what I can do in terms of cleaning up. So, as other councillors are doing what they are doing in their respective divisions, I think it is only befitting now for me to move in to the Riverside Division to have work start at the earliest possible time,” said McIntosh, adding that work will start by the end of the week.
– ANTHONY LEWIS
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Lucea mayor to address neglected projects in ill councillor"s division
