Sugar Ray Thomas
The newly installed mayor of Port Maria and chairman of the St Mary Municipal Corporation, Richard Creary, has given his assurance that he will be working with the citizens of the parish in order to enhance the decision making process.
Mayor Creary was giving his first address at the swearing in ceremony of councillors in the St Mary Municipal Corporation held at the Port Maria Civic Centre on Thursday, December 8.
The local government elections held on Monday, November 28, saw the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) grabbing ten of the 13 divisions in St Mary. The opposition People’s National Party (PNP) only managed to claim three seats in the St Mary municipal council.
In the 2012 elections, the PNP had won eight seats to the JLP’s five.
Councillor for the Gayle division, Jason James was installed as deputy mayor.
“Dialogue between the municipal corporation and its citizens is also vital in order for us to achieve our goals as it is through dialogue that we can chart the course for the way forward,” Creary explained to the audience of politicians, business persons, dignitaries and other well wishers in the parish.
He also gave the assurance that he will not be leading over a dictatorship.
“I give my commitment today that I will not be presiding over a dictatorship, but instead a corporation that engages its citizens and take their views into consideration during the decision making process,” Creary added.
HIS PLANS
Creary was elected as councillor of the Richmond division and had served as the mayor of Port Maria and chairman of the then St Mary Parish Council between 2007 and 2012.
He said that he would be running the municipal corporation as a business and to oversee the construction of the Port Maria Market Complex, which is expected to start soon. Creary said that the project has been sent out to tender.
He also gave assurances to tackle the drainage system in the parish, especially in the St Mary parish capital, the return of law and order in the towns across the parish, the renewal of the land acquisition programme and further development of the St Mary Infirmary.
There was great fanfare among JLP supporters as each councillor took the affirmation of oath to be officially installed.
Those JLP councillors installed were: Lenford Danvers of the Castleton division; Hugh Bryan of the Annotto Bay division; Doreen Hutchinson of the Carron Hall division; Jason James of the Gayle division; Leroy Sewell of the Boscobel division; Krystal Lee of the Retreat division; Sheldon Kidd of the Oracabessa division; Germaine Smiley of the Port Maria division; Mitsey Hudson of the Hampstead division, along with Mayor Richard Creary.
The PNP councillors installed were: former mayor of Port Maria, Levan Freeman of the Belfield division; Paul Fyffe of the Highgate division and Lincoln Dixon of the Islington division.
Minister of national security and member of parliament for Western St Mary, Robert Montague, who also addressed the ceremony, urged the councillors to work for the people to ensure that St Mary is great again.
“It is now time to work for the people, whether they are JLP or PNP,” Montague urged.
In address, Custos of St Mary, Errol Johnson urged the citizens of the parish to not expect everything from their councillors.
“You should not expect the councillors to be doing everything. You should ask the councillors what we can do together to make our parish better. I am saying to the councillors be leaders. Lead your division as a leader…,” Custos Johnson said.
Member of parliament for St Mary South East, Dr Winston Green also addressed the ceremony and called for unity.
