LUCEA, Hanover

Easton Edwards, the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) councillor for the Lucea Division yesterday clashed with the People’s National Party (PNP)-controlled Hanover Parish Council when he asked the local business community for money to clean up the town on Labour Day.

“Enough is enough. It can’t be business as usual. Sooner or later we all are going to get sick if nothing is done to clean up the town,” Edwards told reporters yesterday at a press conference to announce plans for the massive clean up drive on May 25.

Edwards said his decision to approach the business community for help was a result of the Parish Council’s refusal to respond to his repeated appeals for funding.

They are apparently playing politics,” Edwards said, in an apparent jab at the council which is led by the PNP’s mayor of Lucea and chairman of the Hanover Parish Council, Lloyd Hill. “It is alleged that people don’t want to spend money in the town because they don’t want me to look good,” he added,

But in a quick reaction yesterday, Hill accused Edwards of trying to undermine the council.

“I have a problem with (Edwards’ proposal). He is trying to jump the gun and is seeking advantage outside the normal arrangement of the council,” Hill told the Observer West.

He said traditionally the council as a body, would solicit funds from the business community which would then be used to assist in Labour Day projects throughout the parish.

” When we get those funds we would make allocations to the respective divisions depending on the projects they are undertaking, so I can’t agree with what he is doing,” said Hill, who is serving his second term as mayor of the town. There are seven parish council divisions in Hanover.

Of that number, the opposition PNP controls four, while the others are represented by the ruling JLP.

Edwards, who was elected during the 2007 local government polls, yesterday charged that the council was not doing enough for the parish.

” We were elected by the people to make a difference and so far we have failed Hanovarians. It doesn’t matter which side of the fence we are; we are citizens of Hanover and we have to make sure that our town display the type of place that will make us feel happy”, he said.

He argued that the ramshackle town, with its dirty drains, uncollected garbage and raw sewage running on sections of the roadway, is not attractive enough to entice the hundreds of visitors that travel daily between Montego Bay and Negril weekly, to stop there.

He said too businesses might be reluctant to invest in the town, due to its present state.

Edwards also use the press briefing to call on the business community to “give back” to the town, arguing that doing so, is a part of their responsibility.

He noted however, that he has already spoken to a wide cross -section of the business community, as well as the Church, who have signalled their intention to support the clean up initiative.

According to the councillor Edwards, the planned Labour Day activities will include the bushing of open lots, the cleaning of drains, repairs to the sidewalks, the planting of trees, painting of buildings and the disposal of garbage. He added that after the Labour Day activities, a proper maintenance programme will be implemented, in an effort to keep the town clean.

Meanwhile, the Hanover Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Edwards’ initiative.

President of the chamber, Theo Chambers said that his organisation is willing to partner with any group or individuals in making the town clean.