Health inspector urges central sewerage

PORT MARIA, St Mary:

Chief public health inspector for St Mary, Anthony Robins, has advised local authorities in the parish to push for a central sewerage system to offset the damage being done to marine life as a result of pollution in the parish capital.

But, as the authorities deliberate, local fishermen say they are feeling the pinch as the pollution in the town is widespread and affecting business.

"We are seeing a drastic reduction in our fish population because of the pollution," said Food For the Poor fishing village monitor, Carl Oldfield.

Oldfield, who oversees activities at the Pagee fishing village in Port Maria, said that in addition to some pit latrines, effluent from an overflowing sewer contaminating the sea in the rainy season, and improper garbage disposal in and around the town are wreaking havoc.

"We are affected by two rivers and when these rivers are in a spate they bring down a lot of debris such as plastic bottles, plastic bags, Styrofoam and other things that are killing off the fish population," he said.

- Nedburn Thaffe

'Working together is important'

OCHO RIOS, St Ann:

Chief of Defence Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Major General Stewart Saunders, has urged graduates of the Caribbean Junior Command and Staff Course to recognise the immense value of working together in partnership.

"The course has equipped you with the requisite knowledge to enable you to improve the systems and procedures of your present organisations, to understand the communication linkages required for inter-organisational and inter-regional liaisons and the value to be realised through combined efforts," he told them.

Major General Saunders was speaking at the graduation ceremony, which was held at the JDF training camp at Moneague in St Ann, recently.

The 19-week course for 30 participants from the Caribbean and Canada, sought to prepare the junior officers to perform junior or intermediate staff functions at the unit or the force headquarters levels, and command functions at the sub-unit and unit levels within the context of the force or brigade.

- JIS

'I Believe' in Surrey

PORT ANTONIO, Portland:

Governor General Dr Patrick Allen is taking his I Believe campaign today to young persons in the country of Surrey.

He is expected to have breakfast with students from Kingston, St Andrew, St Thomas and Portland at the Frenchman's Cove Hotel, Portland.

This campaign, which he initiated in his inaugural address as governor general in February, aims at inspiring and motivating Jamaicans to achieve their full potential.

At his swearing-in ceremony, he said: "We must engage the youth and adapt to a changing world and the maturing consciousness of our young people. We must believe in them, train them, and have the faith that they will not betray the values of fairness, morality, and justice that we have instilled in them.

"I believe that despite our challenges, our setbacks and our despair, we are a nation which has been blessed with a rich heritage, abundant resources, and the prospect of a bright future."

This morning's breakfast meeting with young people in the country of surrey is part of the Governor General Achievement's Award Scheme.

New lead in brutal MoBay attack

MONTEGO BAY, St James:

The Adelphi police in St James confirmed Monday that they may have identified at least one motive which might have led to the barbaric murders of two teenaged men in Dumfries district.

"We are following a number of leads, but there is one particular motive that we are placing more emphasis on," said Sergeant Clevert Foster.

Police said the men were shot execution style along the roadway at about 10 p.m. Saturday. They are Sanjay Beckford, 18, a resident of Dumfries, and Asanie James, also 18, unemployed of Canaan housing scheme.

Police say that residents reported hearing explosions and summoned the police. On their arrival, Beckford's body was found with multiple bullet wounds to the head, face and upper body, sprawled on the road. James' body was found a few metres away on an embankment with similar wounds.

Mile Gully goes to market

MILE GULLY, Manchester:

The Mile Gully Producers Marketing Organisation (PMO) in Manchester last Friday staged a farmers' market day, to sell and promote the produce of farmers associated with the group.

President of the group, Olive Johnson, told JIS News that the event, held at the Mile Gully Square, went well and attracted a number of customers. "It is the first of its kind in Mile Gully. The farmers gathered here with their produce to sell at farm-gate price," Johnson said.

She told JIS News that the intent was to have a farmers' day on the last Friday of each month, with part of the proceeds of the sales to go back into building the community. She said the group also hoped to raise funds to establish a greenhouse farm and purchase a tractor.

Secretary of the Mile Gully PMO, Margaurita Swaby, informed that the one-year-old organisation has received strong support from its members. She said that the farmers' day was to provide "a local outlet for our produce because most of it is taken outside of the area to sell. There are a lot of farmers in the area. Our intention is to have it a few times and see how it works."

- JIS