Lucea mayor to address neglected projects in ill councillor"s division

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

Mayor concerned over feeding of homeless

Recently, the Mayor of Kingston Senator Angela Brown Burke called a meeting with key stakeholders pertaining to the feeding of the homeless on the streets of Kingston, particularly in the downtown Kingston area.

She was concerned about both the way in which they were fed and the locations at which they are fed and pointed to the danger, nuisance and unhygienic situations that have arisen out of the ad hoc feeding plan.

Stakeholders from various churches and voluntary organisations all agreed that a schedule should be prepared to accommodate the feeding of as many homeless as possible each day. What obtains now is that some persons will get up to five meals per day and some none.

convenient places

The KSAC in partnership with these stakeholders have agreed to work out convenient places for the homeless to be fed instead of being fed on the street. Five places identified so far are The Open Arms Drop-in Centre, Marie Aitkens Night Shelter, Mona Baptist, Bethel Baptist and the Salvation Army.

The organised feeding schedule will be available to all interested meal providers ‹ groups, organisations or individuals. Everyone is being implored to adhere to the places named as feeding centres so that the various feeding programmes can be carried out under better hygienic conditions and with greater dignity to the less fortunate as we continue to serve them. As such, feeding on the streets of Kingston & St Andrew as of September 28, 2014 will be strictly prohibited.

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Mayor concerned over feeding of homeless

Fun in the Son set for Portmore - Acting Mayor says event is "timely"

Acting Mayor of Portmore, Leon Thomas.

The hosting of the Best Dressed Fun in the Son on Saturday, July 12 at the 13-acre Portmore Mall Park has been described as ‘timely’ by the Acting Mayor of the Portmore Municipality, Councillor Leon Thomas.

“At this time, Portmore needs this kind of Christian outreach, which can help to re-establish values among our people and solidify our faith in God,” he said.

He also noted that the economy of Portmore should be boosted by the one-day activity, which at the last staging in 2012 had over 80,000 persons in attendance at the National Heroes’ Park, downtown Kingston. In particular, he said the nearby Portmore Mall should benefit from the overall promotion of the Gospel Festival, as a buzz about the event was building through word of mouth.

“The people of Portmore are honoured and pleased to be hosting such a great event that will provide wholesome family entertainment and give our young people a chance to be associated with something positive and life-changing”, he said.

The Acting Mayor said during the 12th staging of the free-to-the-public Gospel Festival, he anticipated that the Municipality would be highlighted in a positive way, including the fact that the majority of residents are ambitious and hardworking.

“At the end of the day, I also hope that God will continue to favour us here in this Municipality,” Councillor Thomas said.

The Gospel Festival is sponsored by the Jamaica Broilers Group – through its Best Dressed Chicken brand – in keeping with their ongoing commitment to assist with the spiritual uplift and transformation of lives within the nation.

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Fun in the Son set for Portmore - Acting Mayor says event is "timely"

Fun in the Son set for Portmore - Acting Mayor says event is "timely"

Acting Mayor of Portmore, Leon Thomas.

The hosting of the Best Dressed Fun in the Son on Saturday, July 12 at the 13-acre Portmore Mall Park has been described as ‘timely’ by the Acting Mayor of the Portmore Municipality, Councillor Leon Thomas.

“At this time, Portmore needs this kind of Christian outreach, which can help to re-establish values among our people and solidify our faith in God,” he said.

He also noted that the economy of Portmore should be boosted by the one-day activity, which at the last staging in 2012 had over 80,000 persons in attendance at the National Heroes’ Park, downtown Kingston. In particular, he said the nearby Portmore Mall should benefit from the overall promotion of the Gospel Festival, as a buzz about the event was building through word of mouth.

“The people of Portmore are honoured and pleased to be hosting such a great event that will provide wholesome family entertainment and give our young people a chance to be associated with something positive and life-changing”, he said.

The Acting Mayor said during the 12th staging of the free-to-the-public Gospel Festival, he anticipated that the Municipality would be highlighted in a positive way, including the fact that the majority of residents are ambitious and hardworking.

“At the end of the day, I also hope that God will continue to favour us here in this Municipality,” Councillor Thomas said.

The Gospel Festival is sponsored by the Jamaica Broilers Group – through its Best Dressed Chicken brand – in keeping with their ongoing commitment to assist with the spiritual uplift and transformation of lives within the nation.

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Fun in the Son set for Portmore - Acting Mayor says event is "timely"

Embattled Toronto mayor attempts Jamaican accent in new video

Tuesday, January 21, 2014 | 9:00 PM    

TORONTO (AP) — A new video of Mayor Rob Ford emerged Tuesday that shows him swearing and slurring his words while apparently trying to imitate a Jamaican accent.

In the video — one of two new ones that have been posted on YouTube — Ford is shown in a fast food restaurant rambling and talking about police surveillance and calling police chief Bill Blair a derogatory name.

Ford, who said in November that he quit drinking, said outside his office Tuesday that he drank on Monday night “a little bit” and acknowledged it was him in the video. When asked if he also did drugs, Ford said no.

“I was with some friends and what I do in my personal life with my personal friends, that’s up to me,” Ford said. “It really has nothing to do with you guys.”

Ford said he did not think the language he used was offensive or discriminatory.

“It’s how I speak with some of my friends,” he said.

The video is titled “New Video of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Drunk, Swearing in Jamaican Patois? B****t.”

“Chase me around for five months,” the mayor says in the video.

“Leave me alone and then try and tell me, we’re counter-surveilling the guy. He’s hiding here, I’m hiding here. Oh, we don’t know?” he says before rambling incoherently.

Mark Pugush, a spokesman for Police Chief Blair, said they don’t respond to personal attacks.

A second video of Ford posted on YouTube and from inside the same restaurant, appears to show Ford sitting with his friend and former driver Alexander Lisi. Lisi faces trial on drug and extortion charges after police started an investigation into the mayor. It was not immediately clear if the video was also shot Monday night.

Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, who assumed some of the mayor’s powers after the City Council stripped Ford of many of his duties year, urged Ford to seek professional help.

“He’s got to do a lot of soul-searching in the next few days,” Kelly said.

Ford said in November that he was finished with drinking alcohol after having a “come to Jesus moment.” He snapped at reporters and denied he was drinking after pictures emerged last week of him at a night club.

Ford vowed in November that the public would never see a tape of him intoxicated again. He said he was working out and the mayor noticeably lost weight. He put his name on the ballot to run for another term earlier this month.

Ford acknowledged last year that he smoked crack “in one of my drunken stupors” after police said they obtained a copy of a tape that appears to show him smoking crack. He refused to resign.

The City Council stripped Ford of most of his powers but lacked the authority to force him out because he wasn’t convicted of a crime. The mayor was the subject of a police investigation but was never charged. According to police interviews, staffers accused Ford of frequently drinking.

City councilor Joe Mihevc said the latest tape appears to show that Ford has not stopped drinking and continues to be an embarrassment to the city of Toronto.

City Councilor Michael Thompson, who is black, said he was shocked. “Is that the mayor speaking Jamaican? Wow,” Thompson said when reporters showed him the video. “I’m numb.”

Thompson said the mayor’s interpretation of “supposedly being Jamaican” was offensive. He called it a sad day and said the mayor needs to seek help.

“We’ve been fairly silent in just waiting for the next thing to occur,” Thompson said. “I think we all had sort of concluded it was only a matter of time.”

City councilor Denzil Minnan-Wong said Ford had been doing well lately but said this is clearly a setback for him. “It looks like he’s fallen off the wagon,” Minnan-Wong said.

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Embattled Toronto mayor attempts Jamaican accent in new video

Mandeville"s former mayor Cecil Charlton dies

Latest News

Thursday, September 12, 2013 | 4:45 PM

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Parish councillors at the Manchester Parish Council monthly meeting today took time out to remember former Mandeville Mayor Cecil Charlton who died at the Hargreaves Memorial Hospital earlier in the morning.Charlton was 88 years old and had been ailing for many years.Mayor of Mandeville and Chairman of the Manchester Parish Council Brenda Ramsay said that she did not serve in the Council with Charlton but has benefitted from his counsel.“He was a very accessible person. When you need advice he would readily give it…. He was a fearless individual and a man of action. We are missing a giant of a man who was small in stature but large in many other ways. He will be long remembered not only in Manchester but throughout Jamaica. He will be a legend in our time,” she said.Ramsay said she regrets that a bust that is slated to be erected in the town centre in Charlton’s honour was not done in his lifetime. She added that efforts will also be made to keep the Cecil Charlton Park at the standard that he would have wanted.Councillor Desmond Harrison (JLP-Christiana Division) said that the former Mayor was “a son of the soil” who had done a lot for the parish and the Manchester Parish Library is one of the institutions that benefitted.He added that as a businessman Charlton was one of the first persons to operate a fleet of taxis in the town and was known for his horseracing business Charles Off Betting Limited. More information later.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserverFormer Mandeville Mayor Cecil Charlton, died on Thursday at Hargreaves Memorial Hospital in Mandeville.

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Mandeville"s former mayor Cecil Charlton dies

Toronto mayor admits he smoked a lot of ganja

Latest News

Wednesday, August 28, 2013 | 3:11 PM

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Mayor Rob Ford admitted Wednesday that he has smoked a lot of marijuana. Taking questions from reporters after a campaign address Ford was asked if he had used pot. “Oh yeah,” he said chuckling. “I won’t deny that. I smoked a lot of it.”Ford did not answer when asked how recently he had smoked it.The Toronto mayor made world news earlier this year amid allegations that he was caught on video smoking crack cocaine. The video has not been released publicly and Ford has refused to leave office.He has denied the allegations saying, “I do not use crack cocaine, nor am I an addict of crack cocaine.”Three years ago, Ford admitted he was charged with driving under the influence and marijuana possession in Florida in the 1990s. At first he denied these allegations, but later pleaded no-contest to the impaired driving charge and the drug charge was dropped.Ford was pressed about his pot past Wednesday after Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau admitted that he puffed on a joint three years ago, while a Member of Parliament. Trudeau has said pot should be regulated and legalised.Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne also said Wednesday that she smoked a little pot about 35 years ago.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Toronto mayor admits he smoked a lot of ganja

"Harassing" US mayor blames city

1 August 2013 Last updated at 10:27 ET Bob Filner said last week that he took responsibility for his actions

A lawyer for embattled San Diego Mayor Bob Filner argues the city should fund his defence as it failed to give him anti-sexual harassment training.

Harvey Berger made the argument in a letter a day before the city council voted unanimously to deny Mr Filner such funding.

Eight women have now accused him of unwelcome advances, some of them physical.

He has said he will attend “behaviour counselling”, but will not quit.

The mayor and the city have been sued by his former communication director, Irene McCormack Jackson, over harassment allegations. Among other claims, she says he asked her to work without wearing underwear.

Continue reading the main story

Many – if not most – people do not know what is and what is not illegal sexual harassment under California law”

End Quote Harvey Berger Mayor Bob Filner’s laywer While Mr Filner has admitted he is in need of “help”, his lawyer says his client denies Ms McCormack’s allegations.

In a letter sent on Monday and obtained by a local broadcaster, Mr Berger argued that the city of San Diego had been required to provide sexual harassment training for all management-level employees in their first six months.

Mr Berger said the training had been scheduled, but the city trainer cancelled and did not reschedule.

“This is not an excuse for any inappropriate behavior which may have occurred,” the lawyer wrote, “but having conducted sexual harassment training many times over the years, I have learned that many – if not most – people do not know what is and what is not illegal sexual harassment under California law.”

He said Mr Filner may not now be facing a lawsuit if he had undergone the classes.

However, the city council evidently was not swayed by the lawyer’s argument.

A day later, on Tuesday, they voted unanimously to sue Mr Filner to require him pay for any legal damages or fees if the city is held liable for the harassment claims. It also moved to deny him funds for his defence.

The local Democratic committee voted by 34-6 last week for Mr Filner to quit, but only a recall election can force him out of office.

The former congressman said in a news conference on Friday that his behaviour had been “inexcusable”.

He said he would undergo two weeks of intensive therapy “to begin the process of addressing my behaviour”.

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"Harassing" US mayor blames city