Does anyone has our MP Number - could you contact him and let us know publicly what is happening with the station road. No excuse about rainy season, as other roads are being fixed - at least a start can be made. I believe it is a downright shame and disgrace to us citizens. We are fed up, and to think that our villa owners are sitting down and not putting any pressure on the government. It is you the big-wigs that have the talk - aren't you ashamed to be transporting tourists on these treacherous and donkey track roads. I am utterly ashamed. We have the worst main roads in the entire island - no doubt. Some of you business owners will invite politicians to functions in the district, yet still you will not put pressure on them to get our roads fixed. We are talking about Community Park, Environment Meetings, we need to put more urgent things like the bad roads on the front burner, how can we market our Community with these 'hog track' roads. I also challenge the Reporter - whomever he or she is to meet the MP on our behalf and get some first-hand info and stop writing irrelevant things, that is not reporting, that is just your opinion. SHAME!!

WELL DONE fed up. It is a shame knowing we have MP and he is not doing anything to help, and the villa owners, as you said not doing anything also to solve the situation.

The responsibility for notifying any necessary government agencies, and the responsibility for going to the newspapers with photos, is for every single adult in Treasure Beach. The villa owners do not own Treasure Beach. They do not run Treasure Beach. They own property there, and they pay taxes there, just as do the residents of Treasure Beach.

If someone in Treasure Beach takes the time and is kind enough to post the names, titles, and email addresses of those persons who should be notified, we will each do our part.

But the residents are there 365 days a year. They travel on those road every day. Their children travel on those roads. So the residents also need to take responsibility. Complaining about the villa owners will accomplish nothing. And it will only waste valuable time and energy. They need to complain to someone who can do something about the horrible conditions of the roads.

I think it most unfair to blame villa owners for lack of concern for the road to Treasure Beach.

For those with short memories, please remember the huge support, after Hurrican Ivan, both financial and in manpower, by villa owners and their visitors to re-build.

They are not a collection of money grabbing fly by nights, but have a deep and lasting interest and concern in the community.

More than a few villa owners have been recently
'visited' by a government official, backed by
two gun-toting policemen (a deft touch meant to assure our visitors, no doubt), delivering notices on a proposed new 'beach usage fee/tax' with applications to be filed (with a fee, of course) and yearly fees. Now that Portia has
appointed a new Junior Minister for Tourism, as well as ones for water and roads, those names
should be included on any and all petitions and letter-writing campaigns to start to mobilize
all residents and owners to get those in power to rebuild St. Elizabeth's roads.

I wrote a letter to the Gleaner today, but I have no idea if they will publish it. And, if they publish it, I do not know if it will result in any positive action.

I agree that someone needs to post a list (on this site) of names, titles, e-mail addresses, and postal mailing addresses of the government officials who can make something happen. Then, a many people as possible should contact them. There is strength in numbers. Ten people complaining are better than one. One hundred is better than ten. Several hundred would make an impact that would be almost impossible to ignore.

My point is that the Villa Owners are the ones who are marketing the area as a tourist area. Look at Ocho Rios or MoBay, I am sure the hotel owners are not sitting down idly doing nothing, you hear them making noise about crime, even paying money to get extra patrols done, there roads are not in a manner like ours and these are marketed as Tourist areas. They would not sit idly by with these main roads. You the villa owners are the ones who bring in the tourists and cause the strangers to come in the area to sell 'craft'and do other things. My point is you are the ones who are bringing in the tourists, what do you say to them when they come year after year with the same 'donkey track' obviously you are just enjoying having them at whatever means. This is the main entrance to TB we are talking about. When you hear politicians getting up and
talking about South Coast Tourism - it is your business they are talking about - so you have a huge influence in the Community than any one else. It is such a pity that the regular citizens in the Community do not read this forum. So they have not a clue what is taking place around them.

It is the responsibility of each citizen of Treasure Beach. Villa owners, and residents need to take responsiblity. You don't need names title, and email addresses. This is the MP job to take care of the community, you all need to put pressure on him, thats his job thats what he get pays to do, and he is not doing anything, he drives also on the roads he sees it, so that should tell you all. SHAME ON OUR MP for not doing his responsibility.

Gleaner Reporter, As a reporter you must have the contacts to find out the appropriate names of agencies and contact information to post here so we can all get involved. We would also appreciate you posting links to the articles which were printed in the Gleaner and authored by you regarding the roads.

We the citizens are willing to stand behind the Villa Owners, it is a fact that you have more influence. It is a fact that in this country, unless you have some big title or influence they don't business with you. They talk about helping the poor, but it's just talk. We are urging our Villa owners to push for our roads to be fixed by letting the government know that a tourist area cannot be like this with the main entrance looking like this. I am sure they don't business with us little citizens, they couln't care less. We are not putting down our Villa owners, but we respect you and we appreciate you and are glad that you market our community so that others can come and enjoy it. But the roads, wow!! Help us with your influence man, just like how you met with regards to paying taxes for the beach, meet and talk about how you going to approach the government with regards to fixing the roads. It is necessary man. I still believe you people have the influence.

I wish we had half the influence you think we do. Some villa owners met with regard to paying taxes for the beach, but the matter is not resolved. My guess is we will have to pay. And, none of us even knows how much or for what. We know we will still have to maintain the beaches from our own pockets, even if there is a hurricane. Most villa owners reside outside Jamaica, and that makes it very difficult for us. No matter how long we've been in Treasure Beach, we are foreigners; and we hesitate not to comply with every regulation the government says we must. Also because most of us are physically not there for more than a few weeks a year, it makes it more difficult for us to act. It's not like all the villa owners are there together all the time. Give us some names and addresses and we can do our best. But don't expect miracles. And don't expect us to do our part if you don't do yours.

Treasure Beach residents need to demand a meeting with this MP whoever he is, I am sure he is aware of all the problems but what is he doing nothing? Maybe, the Prime Minister should take a drive to Treasure Beach and see the roads, not helicoper.

If every child and student in Treasure Beach wrote a letter to the Prime Minister about the roads and these letters and a photo of the kids
with them were delivered by a delegation of kids
to Portia that would be as compelling as anything we adults might do. However, we outside Jamaica are more than willing to use the 'power of a tongue' and lend the power of our words to the effort. If someone on island
would compile and post here a list of names, addresses, e-mails if you can get them of which is dubious, of
1) Portia and all appropriate ministers/jr.ministers
2) The Parish Council members
3) Gleaner/Observer reporters (including the name of every reporter who's done a piece on TB)
4)Radio talk-show hosts
4) Danny Buchanan
we can help by speaking up.

By Jean on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 08:15 am:
Treasure Beach residents need to demand a meeting with this MP whoever he is, I am sure he is aware of all the problems but what is he doing nothing? Maybe, the Prime Minister should take a drive to Treasure Beach and see the roads, not helicoper.

Well said Jean !!!!
This should include Villa & Hotel oweners.

Folks,
I am a frequent visitor to the area, and also find it difficult to travel the roads. I am sure as business owners and residents, the higher cost of automotive maintenance, and challenge in getting to the area is something you all have to overcome.

I say this with respect, so please take it as such. Each and every persion that is concerned with the taxes they pay, and the area in which they live, should demand accountability from those that represent you (voted or appointed), rather than demanding/requesting someone provide contact information, everyone should take the initiative to look it up and take those actions on their own.
I have spent about 15 minutes on the web, and believe I at least have a start to your list. I would imagine someone in Jamaica with a phone book and some discussions with others, could easily track down the list of influencers regarding roads and the Canal.

Here is the current Minister of tourism:
Ministry of Tourism, Entertainment & Culture
Minister
Hon. Aloun N'dombet-Assamba
Minister of State
Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNiel

The Minister of local goverment is:
Ministry of Local Government & Environment
Minister
Hon. Dean Peart
Minister of State
Hon. Harry Douglas

Ministry of Trasport, housing and utilities. This group's website is pasted below, one of their soul purposes is for Roads:
Ministry of Housing, Transport & Works
Minister
Hon. Robert Pickersgill
Ministers of State
Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson
Hon. Richard Azan
Telephone: (876)754-2584, (876)754-1900-1, (876)926-3110 Fax: (876)960-2886
http://www.mtw.gov.jm/

And the phone # for the PM's office:
The Hon. Portia Simpson Miller
Telephone: 927-9941-3, 927-4101-3

Office of the Prime Minister,
1 Devon Road, Kingston 10
Jamaica West Indies.


Lastly here is a website that offers all the contact information for all ministries and departments within your government.

http://jamaica.jamaicayp.com/government.html

Good luck with your letter writing and contacting campaign. Remember the squeky wheel gets the grease.

Don't the Azan's actually own property in Billy's Bay? Is this the same family as the Honorable (?) Richard Azan?

The people that owned the property in Billy's Bay is the Azar's

VILLA OWNERS ARE NOT ONLY FROM OTHER COUNTRIES THERE ARE CITIZENS OF TREASURE BEACH WHO ALSO HAVE GUESS HOUSES/CHILDREN GOING TO SCHOOL/FAMILY AND FRIENDS VISITING FROM ABROAD AND FOR THAT I AM GOIN TO SAY THIS...GET UP.. STAND UP..AND WRITE/CALL DEMAND THAT SOMETHING BE DONE TO FIX THE ROADS.IT SEEMS THAT THE BIG WIGS THAT CALL THEMSELVES MINISTER OF THIS AND THAT ALL LIVE IN KINGSTON AND THEY DO NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE COUNTRY PARTS OF THAT ISLAND.
THEY JUST WANT TO TAX..TAX..TAX AND LIVE THE LIVES OF LUXURY OFF OTHERS MISERY.
"SHAME ON YOU ALL"

The Azars own property in Billy's Bay which is a whole different family than the Azans.

I have done a little research on the internet and found a current list (May 2006) with names and contacts (telephone and e-mail) of all the ministers and ministries in Jamaica. It's a pdf, so I'll try to upload it to the "Photo Gallery", since there's no way to add an attachment to this message. If that doesn't work I'll bring a digital version with me next week (I'll be flying to Jamaica this Sunday) and pass it on to Rebecca, so she can post it.

Furthermore I found a list with the names of the MP's for St. Elizabeth, but no contact info:
Hon. Roger Clarke - St. Elizabeth North Eastern (government)
Mr. J.C. Hutchinson - St. Elizabeth North Western (opposition)
Mr. Lenworth Blake - St. Elizabeth South Eastern (government)
Hon. Donald Buchanan - St. Elizabeth South Western (government)

Kicki:

First, thanks for your leg work. Hopefully others will pick up the ball and contribute what they can.

As for attachments, you can add them here using a simple bit of coding.

In the body of the message, type this without the space after the "\":
\ attach{name}

After you Post the message, you'll be asked to Browse for the file you want to attach, in your case the PDF.

And the Gallery does not allow PDF's to be uploaded (only jpg or gif), so that option didn't work.

-TBNet

OK, here's another try with the list:

CabinetMinisterslist2006.pdf CabinetMinisterslist2006.pdf (108.6 k)

Hi Everyone,

I`m looking for a cottage or self-contained apt.. walking distance to Frenchman`s.. From Dec - March.
Up to $400USD per month.

Thanks in Advance!

Peace and Blessings,

Dorothy

Great list, Kicki! Now, will someone familiar with local politics, please suggest which of these people we should contact. Should it be by regular letters or emails or both?