**************************************************** **************************************************** THE PORTMORE WEBSITE NEWSLETTER **************************************************** **************************************************** Newsletter: Number 22 for 2005 Publication Date: November 16, 2005 Title: Local Gov. Week Editor: Kennedy Reid Subscribers: 284 Sign up: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/portmore_newsletter/ Reply to: webmaster@portmore.org Web site: http://www.portmore.org Phone: 876-320-7343 CONTENTS ======== 1. Local Government Month Meetings - Portmore Municipal Council 2. Carter Center Ja - Carole Excell 3. General News - radiojamaica.com 4. Hotels in Portmore 5. Notes from our Website Browsers ############################################################ 1. Local Government Month Meetings - Portmore Municipal Council ############################################################ FYI - all Portmore residents. Date: Monday, November 14, 2005 07:27AM Subject: FW: PMC Community Month Activities From: the Mayor's Secretary Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2005 5:01 PM To: members of the P.C.A.C. Subject: PMC Community Month Activities PORTMORE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL COMMUNITY MONTH ACTIVITIES In observance of Local Government Month 2005, the Portmore Municipal Council has planned four days of activities to take place during the week November 13 to 19. The events are as follows: Sunday, November 13 The opening and sign unveiling of the West Aintree Municipal Park. The ceremony will begin at 4:00 p.m. on the grounds of the park in 7 West, Greater Portmore Tuesday, November 15 A community forum will be held at the Edgewater Lions Civic Center beginning at 7:00 p.m. The guest speaker will be Mr. Robert Bryan, Chief Executive Officer of Jamaica Cricket 2007 Ltd. He will make a presentation on World Cup Cricket 2007 and its implications for the residents and the business community of Portmore. Other issues to be addressed at the forum include: Crime and Violence in Portmore, Highway 2000, the renaming of I-95, the launch of the Better Neighbourhood/ Best Scheme Competition and the Council's Reform Plan. Wednesday, November 16 The annual Junior Council Meeting will be held in the Council Chamber beginning at 10:00 a.m. A total of 12 schools within Portmore will participate in this event. They will represent the Mayor, Councillors, agencies, administrative staff and the P.C.A.C. Thursday, November 17 The annual Council Open Day. This will take place from 10:00 a.m to 4:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber as well as in the public reception areas of the office. Agencies will be asked to set up displays showcasing their functions and their importance to the functions of the Council. The public is invited to view these displays and participate in whatever way possible. ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Lees Fifth Avenue 'Visit us online at' http://www.leesfifthavenue.com/ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ############################################################ 2. Carter Center Ja - Carole Excell ############################################################ From: "Carter Center Ja" To: webmaster@portmore.org Subject: Information on Access to information Act Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 12:27:36 -0500 My name is Carole Excell. I would like to take this opportunity to inform you of the activities of The Carter Center Access to Information Project in Jamaica. As you may know, The Carter Center is a not-for-profit, non-government organization founded in 1982 by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalyn in Atlanta. The Center has had projects in Jamaica since 1997, as both international observers of the 1997 and 2002 general elections and through the transparency project. The transparency project, which began with a 1999 invitation from Prime Minister Patterson to inform the debate regarding the then proposed anti-corruption and freedom of information legislation, is dedicated to supporting and promoting efforts related to the Access to Information Act 2002. We hope to collaborate with all sectors of society to promote democratic accountability in crucial national issues and laws and the use of access to information in Jamaican’s exercise of their human rights. The Carter Center has opened an office at 1 Grants Pen Road, Kingston 8 to conduct this project. We have worked over the last year with civil society organizations to create a network of groups interested in using the Access to Information Act 2002 to further their work. We are trying to encourge groups outside of Kingston to be informed of their new right to information. I have attached additional information related to the project’s goals and objectives, and some of our targeted activities. Further information can be found at our website www.cartercenter.com/peaceprograms. We would be pleased to make a presentation or discuss the issue of Access to Information, its benefit for your organization, and the network and would welcome any opportunities for collaboration. I am available to answer any questions or to meet with you at your convenience. I can be contacted at: Telephone: 755-3641 Fax: 925-2821 E-Mail: cartercenterja@mail.infochan.com ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The Jade Vine We have a wide assortment of gifts for your loved ones in Jamaica. Call 876-939-1656 or 876-704-9723 to place an order. jadevine@anngel.com.jm ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ############################################################ 3. General News - radiojamaica.com ############################################################ A meeting will be held Monday evening with several civic groups in Portmore, St. Catherine to look at an agenda for an affordable toll for that leg of Highway 2000, which should open next year. The meeting will be held at the Municipal office. The group will also look on the upgrading of the Mandela Highway which is touted as the alternative route to the Causeway. The team which involves the Portmore Citizens Advisory Council- will also discuss the upgrading of Marcus Garvey Drive. Mayor of Portmore, George Lee, told RJR News Monday morning that following Monday evening's meeting, residents of the community will meet Tuesday evening at 7:00. Residents of Portmore last week accused Prime Minister PJ Patterson of reneging on a promise to meet with them in October to discuss the toll to be charged on the Portmore Leg of Highway 2000. Mr. Patterson announced at the People's National Party's annual conference in September that he would hold talks with the residents on the contentious toll issue. The residents say the promised meeting was never held and no date has been announced for the meeting. Fri Nov 11, 2005 PM coming under fire from Portmore residents Prime Minister P.J. Patterson is coming under fire from residents of Portmore who are accusing him of reneging on a promise to meet with them in October to discuss the toll to be charged on the Portmore Leg of Highway 2000. During the People's National Party's annual conference in September Mr. Patterson announced that he would hold talks with Portmore residents on the contentious toll issue. At that time he promised that the toll for the Portmore-leg of Highway 2000 would not be exorbitant. But the residents say the promised meeting was never held and they are yet to hear from the Prime Minister when the talks will begin. Among those blasting the Government for showing scant regard for the residents of Portmore is Spokesman for the Portmore Joint Citizens Association Joseph Dalrymple. The Portmore leg of Highway 2000 is slated to be completed early next year. In the meantime, Mayor of Portmore George Lee says he's anticipating that the Prime Minister will meet with Portmore residents before the end of this month. With this expectation Mr. Lee has organised meetings starting next week with civic groups to formulate proposals for the toll to be charged. Wed Nov 9, 2005 Police searching for minibus driver who caused bang-up on I-95 The police in Greater Portmore St. Catherine are looking for the driver of a Toyota Coaster minibus, whose action they say caused a three vehicle collision this morning. The police say the bus driver was heading towards Portmore, when he overtook a line of vehicles and drifted into the opposite lane. The driver of a Honda CRV swerved in an effort to avoid a collision with the bus. The Honda CRV spun violently before it overturned and slammed into a car in the opposite lane. Another vehicle was also damaged in the mishap. Occupants of all three vehicles were shaken but not seriously injured. The police say the driver of the bus did not stop. The accident happened about 7:30 Wednesday morning and caused a major pile up of traffic on the I-95 roadway in Greater Portmore. Tue Nov 8, 2005 Sewage system upgrade not totally to blame in Portmore The National Water Commission (NWC) says it is not entirely at fault for the poor condition of the Passage Fort and Waterford main road in Portmore, St. Catherine. The NWC has been upgrading a sewage system in the area, however the protests have put a halt to the project. Tuesday residents blocked the road for a second consecutive day as they protested against the condition of the road, which they say was dug up to lay pipes. However Corporate Public Relations Manager at the NWC, Charles Buchanan, told RJR News that the road surface deteriorated before the NWC began work. The recent heavy rain has also been cited as a contributor to the state of the roads. Mr. Buchanan said there is a plan to have the roads properly repaired. The NWC has been expanding the sewerage system in Independence City, however the project has been put on hold due to the demonstrations. Nov 11, 2005 Food for the Poor distributed drink cleared of allegation of poisoning The drink which was alleged to have caused the deaths of four persons Preliminary investigations by health authorities have confirmed that there is no link between the mysterious deaths of four persons in Gregory Park, St. Catherine and a packaged drink donated by Food for the Poor. The results of recently conducted tests have so far cleared Food for the Poor of responsibility. The organization had consistently denied claims by residents of Gregory Park that the drink, Advant Edge Carb Control, which it distributes was responsible for the deaths. Executive Director of Foor for the Poor, Bradley Finzi-Smith, says the organization is awaiting the final results of the tests. Mr. Finzi-Smith says although the tests have so far cleared Food for the Poor it is still recalling the drink. Late last month, 14 year old Lisa Moncrieffe and 17 year old Keidiean Duhaney, both of Christian Pen in Gregory Park, reportedly ingested the drink and developed stomach problems. They were taken to hospital where they died while undergoing treatment. Two other members of the community who ingested the drink also fell ill and died. This triggered speculation that the drink supplied by Food for the Poor was the cause of the deaths. ############################################################ 4. Hotels in Portmore ############################################################# From: KMBActDir@aol.com Date: Sun, 6 Nov 2005 21:03:25 EST Subject: Places to stay in Grater Portmore To: kennedyreid@yahoo.com I live in Florida and have visited Jamaica many times. I recently met someone who lives in Portmore and I would like to visit that part of Jamaica. I prefer to have my own place to stay but have no luck on the internet finding a hotel name in that area. Could you help me with the name of a hotel or guest house in Greater Portmore. Much appreciated. Kay ........................ Webmaster's Reply ........................ There are a number of small hotels in Portmore that you may use. There is Jewels, Casa Blanca (my favourite), Sea Horses, etc. Rates run from $4000 (JA dollars) per night. Kennedy Reid ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Lees Fifth Avenue 'Visit us online at' http://www.leesfifthavenue.com/ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ############################################################ 5. Notes from our Website Browsers ############################################################ Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2005 17:07:22 -0400 (EDT) To: webmaster@portmore.org Subject: Message from Front page i'am here to fine a nice female to chat wit cool_mccarthy_2007@yahoo.com jason mccarthy ******************************************************* Good layout and a very informative site. I hope it is kept current A Francis ********************************************************* Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 08:31:44 -0500 (EST) To: webmaster@portmore.org Subject: Message from Front page IMPORTANT I would suggest to the Mayor of Portmore that we take advantage of the New Toll Road by getting the government to agree on a surcharge on the proposed toll charge of say twenty(20) cents. This surcharge would be held in a Development Fund to be used for infrastructure development for the City of Portmore. The advantage to TransJamaican Highway Limited & the Government is that if Portmore is developed both in terms of instructure and attractions (e.g. Port Henderson Strip, Beaches & Caymanas Park), they will get more persons going into and out of Portmore thus generating more income for the project. Paul Russell ********************************************************* Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2005 14:25:26 -0500 (EST) To: webmaster@portmore.org Subject: Message from Front page I believe we as a community start supporting the youth within our community. For example Scouting is a good tool to keep kids of the street, so I believe that if the churches would play there part, then this community will become stronger. Paul Robinson ********************************************************* ........................ Webmaster's Reply ........................ Dear readers, There is nothing new under the sun! All these suggestions are great and have been acted on before.... trus mi! The idea of asking Highway2000 to help finance the community has been a cornerstone of Mayor Lee's representation. There is an active Scout unit in Portmore & Hellshire. In fact I do believe they have a HQ house in Bridgeport. More later! Kennedy Reid [--------------------THE END OF ENTRIES-------------------] Legal Notices - Please read 1. This newsletter makes NO guarantees of accuracy nor authorship. 2. The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher, and do NOT represent the views of any Political Party or Community Organisation. 3. Commercial publication of this newsletter needs the express consent of the webmaster in writing. 4. Copy Rights are owned by Kennedy Reid General Notes - Please read 1. Please copy this newsletter to as many persons as you may, However, please do not alter the contents. 2. To read our past newsletters go to http://www.portmore.org/newsletters/index.html 3. This newsletter is an open forum so please feel free to send us your contributions. We do NOT edit your letters, but may delete sections that can not be published. Deleted sections will be noted. Private e-mail addresses are deleted from letters and, if you ask, we will delete your name also! The Webmaster may comment on your contribution, but reserves the last word for you. Write to webmaster@portmore.org or rhouse@cybervale.com 4. Comments made in this newsletter should be taken in a light manner as the style of this newsletter attempts to be humourous. "Why be ordinary?" - KR [--------------------------THE END--------------------------------]