You are invited to the Treasure Beach Community Consultation to be held on Thursday May 16, 2013 at the Sandy Bank Primary School at 4:00pm.

Agencies such as the NWA, NWC, JPS , the Parish Council, Councilor Jeremy Palmer and MP Hugh Buchanan will be there to address the issues facing the community.

Come out and air your concerns.

Warm regards,
Natalee Bradford-Remikie
Social Development Commission

As some are away and the one day notice too short, posting questions here would be good.

Only a bit more than 24 hours notice for such an important meeting ....

Also, exactly what is the Social Development Commission?

If an independent environmental body is not there, a crucial link is missing in
steering the course towards sustainable development. Ecotourism or more destruction for 'development'.

the poor state of the roads
the ongoing trench saga at old wharf
the drastic increase in land tax as much as
160% increase
more street lights for locals and tourists
more police patrols especially at nights

its the organization appointed by the govt to oversee and ensure that all infrastructure and social issues are addressed at the local level within communities. Their focus is primarily towards ,but by no means limited to, impoverished or at risk areas where the annual household income is oftentimes below the national average. In the case of TB that may not be the case as most people are doing ok, however they are looking at the wider and surrounding communities and factors such as migration etc..Their membership and board consists of people from all sectors of society and they are funded through a special fund setup by the government that caters to handling poverty alleviation and that direct link to crime reduction.They also receive funding from international agencies such as CIDA(canadian intl dev agency) and The World bank.

Now is a chance to find out if the direction we are to take has already been decided by politicians and beaurocrats.

I hope not, those who have practiced ecotourism and community tourism have already laid the foundations and ask to be heard and treated as the big hotel owners are treated. Not just to be milked for tax from the git go.

Is there any sort of report from the meeting that was held yesterday? Perhaps some who attended could post their comments here for those of us who were not able to attend.

How'd the meeting go this time around?

I heard from a TB longtime resident (born & raised) that he's been to SO many of these meetings and nothing changes, so he doesn't bother attending anymore.

Thoughts? Comments?

we need information about the meeting that was held . Anybody got minutes that can be provided within a reasonable time frame ?

Short notice indeed for such a seemingly important meeting. Why such short notice?

I spoke with Natalie Bradford at the meeting last night and she gave me permission to post her email address here. She will be putting together minutes to the meeting and will be happy to send them to anyone who emails her requesting them.

natalee.bradford@yahoo.com

anybody out there who received a feedback from the above mentioned person ? I am still waiting for any information, whatsoever about this meeting and the issues that were discussed.

curious brings up a provocative point of view when he/she states:
I heard from a TB longtime resident (born & raised) that he's been to SO many of these meetings and nothing changes, so he doesn't bother attending anymore.

If you take a look at a particular aspect of the Social Development Commission's (SDC) website: Mechanism For Improving Local Networks and Processes for Dialogue and Decision Making...

The chart there is reminiscent of an OVERVIEW presentation which this organization gave years ago in the meeting room of the Treasure Beach Hotel, with high expectations from the attendees.

The local citizenry was looking for ACTION on a number of concerns which was supposed to lead to a Sustainable Community Plan...under which governmental auspices was not clear.

The session reminded me of a very diffuse "fact-finding" masters degree seminar, in this case sponsored by a NGO, leading to a thesis that may or may not bear fruit. This is not to express a native pessimism, since their STRUCTURES are admirably conceived, and appear to be dispersed widely throughout the Island.
So many "official", supposedly cohesive, long-term Development/Community Plans are gathering dust in the government Archives.

The SDC claims that "over 600 community leaders trained in community planning and advocacy skills", and that "385 (49%) of Jamaica’s 785 communities have community development committees (CDCs) that bring together over 5,000 community based organisations (CBOs)".

It would be helpful to this community if Ms Natalee Bradford-Remikie would identify the local Treasure Beach representatives to these Community Development Committees, so that we can hear from our trusted neighbour reps how the goal of partnering with the national government, parish council, the business sector and NGO's is progressing...on matters of great concern.

SDC Site:
http://sdc.gov.jm/services/governance

I had emailed my request for minutes of the meeting to the lady, but so far has received no response.

Are we to assume that an earlier call for a "Sensitization Session", with delegates from the Dept of Cooperatives & Friendly Societies, to form an Accommodations Co-op for the Greater Treasure Beach Area, was also part of the Agenda of the Social Development Commission (SDC)?

That announcement was "signed" by the St Elizabeth Parish Development Committee, which would fit quite snugly on the organization chart which the SDC has assembled for our understanding.

Were there any concrete recommendations/results, regarding the formation of an Accommodation Co-op, issuing from the meeting that was to be held at the TB Women's Club?
The SDC seems capable of running a brisk meeting, with professionally prepared visual aids & the like, but is there a sense of constructive prospects going forward...working committees, research, communications, outreach, typical by-laws, responsibilities of an elected board of directors...the generalized follow-through that would have been effect of such a meeting about co-ops?

I have not yet received a response to my request either.

Question: About how many people from the community attended this meeting?

Are we encouraged to explore 'Mechanisms For Improving Local Networks and Processes for Dialogue and Decision Making' as an independent community?

Or does this have to be initiated and guided by the public service only?

We already have members capable of this. Many are elders who may need support in order to focus on the projects. Many are not interested or involved in politics but seek means of effective service.

But are we ready for democracy and people power Pan?

I've just heard from Natalie and she is expecting to have the minutes prepared by tomorrow.

I emailed Miss Bradford and am still waiting on a confirmation of my sending and/or her report Rosi.
{edited by TBNet}

My secretary prepared minutes of meetings ready for distribution the day after. I signed off on them after spending 5 minutes checking for errors etc. They were emailed that day.

I sympathise with Mrs Bradford-Remekie as she would most likely have to have the minutes perused and ok'd by more than one public official. {edited by TBNet}

Yes, meetings seem to do little.

Even with advance notice, there seem to be many empty promises (remember the canal).

Seems to me only by doing something on your own do you get things done (potholes are fixed in Billy's Bay- thank you, BREDS is doing alot for the youth with the sports park).

Better to link with like-minded citizens than to gather up and listen to politicians making false promises (one year they are declaring Font Hill a sanctuary, few years later they are selling off to the Spanish developers...)

Thanks to Ms.Bradford for supplying minutes of the meeting.

Notes: Treasure Beach Community Consultation held May 16th 2013.

The meeting was called to order at approximately 4:35pm by the Chairman of the Greater Treasure Beach Citizens Alert Benevolent Society – Mr. Elleston George Delleon. He warmly welcomed everyone and gave a brief commentary of the Citizens Alert Group and its operations within the Treasure Beach Community.

Agencies present were:
Hugh Buchanan – Member of Parliament
Jeremy Palmer – Councilor Pedro Plains Division
Child Development Agency
St. Elizabeth Parish Disaster Coordinator
St.Elizabeth Parish Council
Jamaica Public Service
TPDCo
South Coast Resort Board
National Water Commission
Mr. Jeremy Palmer gave brief opening remarks as to why we were here. He expressed that the event is an open forum provided in order for agencies to address concerns of citizens. He emphasized that it was not a political meeting.
Ava Tomlin – Parish Manager for St.Elizabeth and Manchester was the first presenter. She stated that the JPS is no longer a government agency. The company has now been privatized and that its main mandate it the safe provision of electricity to the nation.
Persons may contact her at 3A Villa Road, Mandeville Manchester 962-2275 or email avtomlin@jpsco.com with queries or concerns about the JPS.
Kenneth Brown – Assistant Superintend of Works from the St.Elizabeth Parish Council was the second speaker. He informed the audience that the parish council is inclusive of 15 parish council divisions. He mentioned that he represents the Road and Works Department which is the most focal department of the parish council. Its duties include regulating the duties of the parish council and maintaining parks and markets and also liaise with the poor relief department. That department also ensures the equitable allocation of resources to the councilors. It also monitors and maintains minor water supply sources such as catchment tanks within communities.
MP Buchanan was the third speaker. He detailed how the 15 million in his Constituency Development Funds Allocation was spent for last financial year. He also gave an update on the JEEP project in that area. He reiterated that the 15 million dollars allocation for the CDF is just a minute amount and the demands for funding are more than the allocation is able to meet.
He mentioned that $6,000,000 is currently being spent in Great Bay of a total $24 million. The remaining $18 million of that amount was spent in the Black River Division. He updated the audience that the Minister of Transport, Road and Works visited Black River that same day in order to fast track repair of the sea wall which has been eroded in Black River.
Jason Henzell at this point advocated for funds to be allocated for street and beach clean up for Treasure Beach as an ongoing project.
One resident asked why is it that 6-8 inch potholes are not repaired whenever road patching is being done. The MP responded that this might be as a result of the fact that when the budget is being done, the potholes were not there.
Residences were concerned that whenever road repairs are done, the marl is left on the road side and onto people’s fences. The MP said this was illegal and that the NWA should negotiate with residents for proper storage of any materials.
The NWC reported that with the improvement work that is on going on the Hopewell water well, will significantly improve water supply to the Treasure Beach area. Additional pipe laying will commence from Hounslow to Newell. Phase one started on Monday and phase two will commence in short order. Phase two is being awarded by the National Contracts Commission. The supply of water will be taken off Newell to Hounslow so that that water will be channeled to Treasure Beach. Phase one of this project will be completed within eight months.
Concerning the outstanding road repair which is long overdue for the round a bout at King Fishers Plaza , Mr. Palmer said he will be putting funding upwards of $1 million toward laying pipes to take the water off that stretch of roadway in order to alleviate the problem. The audience applauded him because Mr. Henzel said he was beginning to wonder if the government recognized the economic contribution of Treasure Beach to Jamaica’s economy.
Solar street lighting is an option which one resident suggested in order to reduce the cost of supplying electricity in terms of street lighting.
The MP reported that he is displeased with the pace at which TEF acts on requests. The Councilor spoke about the fact the Tourism Enhancement Fund is spending monies on roads and housing schemes in Montego Bay in order to enhance the tourist product there so the same efforts should be put into enhancing the tourist product on the South Coast.
Mr. Freckleton of the South Coast Resort Board reported that TPDCo has approved a programme for cleaning of streets for Great Bay to Pedro Plains. Mr. Palmer retorted that we need to have the streets before we are able to clean them.
NWC’s water manager Mr. Grindley reported that the plans that are in place to channel all the water from the Newell well into Treasure Beach will see residents having water in their pipes every day. One resident questioned why his surcharge is greater than what is being consumed in water usage. The PRO Ms Pinnock responded that individuals billing concerns have to be dealt with on a case by case basis.
Another issue raised was the matter of encroaching wall fencing along certain spots in Calabash Bay and Frenchman. The Parish Council representative stated that a 4ft 6” perimeter wall built on one’s boundary line does not require permission from the parish council. It is any wall higher than such that requires approval from the parish council.
The question was raised regarding who sets the value on lands in order to dertermine the amount of land taxes. It was reported that it is the Land Valuation Department that does so.
During the question and answer forum, residents were informed that if they have a claim of damage to appliances due to JPS block outs. A written claim should be made through the parish office which is located in Black River and the JPS’ legal department will deal with it. Ms Tomlin of the JPS also stated that ground outs/power outages may cause voltages to spike hence it’s the responsibility of all residents to protect their equipment by using surge protectors which are available at JPS or at other appliance stores.
One resident raised a concern about frequent fall in voltage in the Lenon Wood area. She assumed that the transformer may be too small and promised to investigate this matter on behalf of residents. It was encouraged by residents that JPS needs to support the policing of electricity more so that the cost of electricity can be less on paying customers.
The Child Development Agency reported that they are an executive agency of the government of Jamaica. All cases of child abuse or neglect should be reported to the CDA who will then investigate and contact the police. Call 1-888-PROTECT.
The St. Elizabeth Disaster Coordinator informed residents of her roles and functions regarding disaster in the parish. She also stated that she would like a date to return to Treasure Beach to do a presentation on what to do before, during and after a hurricane since the hurricane season officially begins on June 1.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:45pm

Sorry I missed the meeting. I hope this is the first of other meetings where stakeholders and friends explore working together for better. It can work if we want.

Thanks for the minutes Ms Bradford.

Firstly I must thank Mrs Bradford-Remikie for forwarding the minutes to me. I would also like to thank Counselor Palmer, Mr Henzel and the residents for their contribution. It was not a bad meeting overall; as pertinent issues were raised, however not withstanding this I was dissapointed in the fact that no resolution was passed. Except that counselor Palmer has promised to spend some monies on pipes.
I would have liked to hear that a plan was put in place for the patching of potholes on a continuous basis so that we do not have to do this for ourselves. Mr Kenneth Brown of the Roads& Works department apparently did not say any thing about that.
I would also like to ask, if the work done in Great Bay and Black River as stated by the MP was visible and welcomed by the residents. I also have to state that those 6-8 inches potholes have been there for many years and many budgets have been read even before he became MP, so there is no political bias here. The roads need to be maintained by whoever is in power.

With all due respect to the organizers and high-level participants in this meeting, I wish to make the following comments:

• Holding such an important meeting without providing adequate notice to community members and stakeholders was, in my opinion, unforgiveable. As someone who would very much like to have been in attendance—and had questions I wanted to ask, there was insufficient time to be able to plan to attend. Also, there was not even the necessary time to provide a list of questions that could have been discussed without me being there. It feels as if the meeting was held on such short notice as a way to fulfill some sort of obligation from the organizers as opposed to it being a meeting in which as many people as possible were encouraged to attend.

• The minutes do not provide the names and contact information for almost everyone who supposedly addressed the attendees.

• Some of the answers provided to residents’ concerns seem very inaccurate. For example, Hugh Buchanan, our MP, when asked why is it that 6-8 inch potholes are not repaired whenever road patching is being done, said this might be as a result of the fact that when the budget is being done, the potholes were not there. Mr. Buchanan should be well aware the potholes have been there for easily 25 years; in fact, the potholes are multiplying.

• I am specifically asking why a disproportionate amount of the money is spent in Great Bay as opposed to allocating it more fairly to all portions of the community.

Ms Kennedy raises some valid questions; this looks more like calling a meeting just for the sake of having a meeting. It seems to me that a Community Meeting ought involve the community at large.

Mrs Kennedy, when have you last seen any of the people that addressed the meeting talking with the people of Treasure Beach and getting to know us and our treasure? Any from the Tourist Board? Tax people yes, they will be there to collect as soon as they smell a project.

Yet, they plan our future behind closed doors and expect us to follow without our participation in the plan.

Nature Girl, I saw Mr. Palmer address members of the community when there was a very well-attended meeting at the Women's Group about the possibility of seaplanes landing on the Great Pond several years ago. More recently (on April 30) I attended a meeting where Dramine Jones from the St. Elizabeth Project Management Committee spoke for a short time. From time to time I am able to attend meetings of the South Coast Resort Board, but 98% of the people there either operate accommodations or attractions.

As I am back and forth between America and Treasure Beach, I truly cannot speak with any authority about when else these people might have addressed a meeting. I may have been off-island when such a meeting occurred.

The point I was trying to make is that it would have been greatly appreciated if:

* Much more notice of the meeting had been provided so more people could have learned about it and attended it.

* There would have been an opportunity for people who could not attend to submit questions or remarks in advance of the meeting so those running the meeting could respond to them.

I agree the tax people aren't hard to find. We had the same tax collector woman show up at our house three times in one day!

Are there two different Treasure Beach development agencies? Mr Freckletons and Mr Henzels?

Thanks to Mrs Kennedy for pointing out the disparity here. What is it that was done in Great Bay, and why was it more deserving than the adjoining areas such as Sandy Bank, Calabash Bay, Frenchman, Billy's Bay and Bluntas? {edited ed by TBNet}

My favorite line from the minutes

"The MP responded that this might be as a result of the fact that when the budget is being done, the potholes were not there."

Thanks for a smile for the day!

Good luck on any progress!