FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Pastor of the William Knibb Memorial Baptist Church in Falmouth Rev Devere Nugent has blasted the local authority in that north coast town, accusing them of not having any common sense.

“If there is one thing that this pastor would want to remind this (Trelawny) Parish Council is that we need some leaders who will exercise some common sense in the town of Falmouth,” Rev Nugent said.

Rev Nugent, who was delivering the sermon at the service of thanksgiving for former Mayor of Falmouth Joseph Wright at his church, common sense is elusive in the society.

A native of Sherwood Content, in the parish, Rev Nugent, who explained that he grew up in Falmouth under the leadership of former mayors such as Osmond Hillock, and Wright, noted that although they did not have degrees, and were not paid huge salaries, they possessed common sense.

He stressed that if the leaders of the local authority had common sense, then the US$222-million Falmouth Cruise Shipping Pier — a joint venture between the Port Authority of Jamaica and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines — would not have been constructed just over two years ago, before the construction of a market and a transport centre.

“It would take common sense for us to return the town of Falmouth to the people of Falmouth. We feel as if we are bombarded in our own town and, like the Psalmist, wondering how can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land,” said Rev Nugent.

Added the reverend: “It would take common sense for us to know that we should build the market first before we build the port; build the transport centre before we build the port. Put the people of Trelawny first before anybody else.”

In an effort to welcome the thousands of cruise visitors to Falmouth, sections of the Georgian town were pedestrianised, and a number of streets were converted to accommodate one-way traffic.

And, despite several announcements, construction is yet to begin for the market and transport centre.

Wright, a People’s National Party (PNP) councillor for the Falmouth Division for 22 years, served as mayor of that town from 1986 until his retirement from politics in 2003. He died on October 22 at the age of 84.

Rev Nugent urged the congregation, which included Finance and Planning Minister Dr Peter Phillips, Junior works minister Richard Azan, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Roger Clarke, Minister of Labour and Social security Derrick Kellier, Deputy House Speaker Lloyd B Smith, Junior Minister of local government and community development Colin Fagan, Mayor of Falmouth Garth Wilkinson, former members of Parliament, councillors and ex-councillors, to follow in the footsteps of Wright, who he said knew how to take care of God’s people.

“That was the mantra of Joseph Wright, he knew what it meant to take care of God’s people in Zion, over Race Course, over Compound, over Dump, wherever God’s people were, he knew how to take care,” he argued.

“Sometimes you will have to be a follower in order to become a good leader,” he stressed, adding that not only was Wright a caretaker and a giver, he knew that there was no substitute to hard work.

PNP President and Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, in her tribute delivered by Kellier, said Wright, the longest-serving mayor in the island, had left an indelible mark on the political landscape.

“He was a persistent and persuasive advocate for the improvement and development of Falmouth. Several accomplishments which are now evident in Falmouth and its environs since his retirement from the political arena, are the direct result of the vigorous representation and sound ground work he so skilfully laid,” said Simpson Miller.

She cited the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium and the Falmouth Cruise Ship Pier as two of his outstanding achievements.

Former Cabinet member and ex-MP for North Trelawny Desmond Leaky described the late mayor as an astute politician who dedicated the latter part of his life to serving the residents of Falmouth and the wider north Trelawny.

And in delivering the eulogy, Wright’s long- standing friend Donald Mark Campbell, said, during the former mayor’s 22 years in public life, no one, not even those he thrashed at the polls, have ever accused him of dishonesty, corruption or lack of integrity.

“His political life was well above reproach, he could not be induced to act contrary to his conviction and conscience, nor the principles of the party he loved. He sacrificed valuable time to serve the poorest and the most vulnerable,” said Campbell.