The chairman and some councillors of the St Ann Municipal Corporation (SAMC) reacted angrily over the absence of the St Ann Health Department from Thursday’s monthly meeting of the Corporation.
The comments came after the Chairman, Mayor Michael Belnavis, based on the agenda, called on the representative of the Health Department to give the expected monthly report to the meeting, September 13.
No representative was at the meeting and this drew comment from Mr Belnavis, who said it was the second meeting in a row that the Health Department had no representative at the meeting. He noted that Dr Deborah Weir, Chief Medical Officer, was on vacation but that other members ought to have come to the Council.
Immediately after that, there were comments from councillors Lydia Richards and Paul McFarlane about health issues in their divisions or health situations they knew about and wanted addressed.
Councillor for Brown’s Town, Kim Brown Lawrence, rose about conditions in the Brown’s Town Market. She said she had hoped health department representatives would be at the meeting. Councillor Lawrence said she had witnessed a situation where someone was being served a meal in the market at a cook shop and a rat “bored the food’ box right there before them. She said vendors had complained of rodents and of animals urinating on their clothing stock. She said something had to be done about it.
The Mayor said that indicated an abundance of rats and was an issue of extermination. He ordered that as of Monday, September 17, exterminators should be dispatched to the market.
Mr Belnavis also noted that a major drain in Ocho Rios was in need of attention from the health department. He said “faecal content” was starting to build up in the drain.
Another councillor said the non representation of the health department extended to the health and sanitation committee of the SAMC. Others said when they raised matters even in the presence of the representative at monthly meetings, the issues were not addressed
Chairman, Michael Belnavis, said he was going to write to the health department. He said it was the second straight meeting that had no representation by the health department.
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