KINGSTON, Jamaica— New Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Homer Davis, has pledged his commitment to aid the ministry in achieving its mandate through his assigned areas of responsibility.

 “I can say to the senior members of staff that we will move local government to its rightful place. We need for local government to be the premier ministry of government. My commitment is to go the extra mile to make sure that we achieve the mandate of this Government, so we will be joining all efforts to make sure that local government delivers on its mandate,” Davis told senior management members at the ministry, during an introductory meeting on Tuesday.

The ministry has undergone a name change from community development to rural development and now has responsibility for two additional services.

“The responsibilities of the ministry has grown because we have added that for rural development, which includes water and rural electrification. These are two important components of service delivery of any administration and we hope to build on what started in those agencies,” Portfolio Minister Desmond McKenzie, said at the meeting.

“There are going to be areas across the country where the National Water Commission will not be able to provide potable water. This becomes the sole responsibility of the Ministry of Local Government, and the new state minister has come in with vast knowledge and experience and we will be putting that to use in the assignments that he has been given,” the minister added.

Davis, who previously served as a three-time councillor and immediate past mayor of Montego Bay, has been assigned the areas of parochial roads; social, minor and rural water; street lights; and the municipal police.

McKenzie expressed his confidence in the newly appointed state minister to carry out his responsibilities as both agree that they are looking forward to working together.

“He did well in his tenure as mayor of Montego Bay. There are significant changes that have been made under his leadership and I am sure than in the areas of responsibilities that he has been assigned, he will do well. I know he has the potential to do well and I am looking forward for us to make local government greater than what we have been doing since 2016,” the minister said.