ULSTER SPRING, Trelawny – Member of Parliament (MP) for Trelawny Southern Marissa Dalrymple Philibert is elated that the Jamaica Fire Brigade has identified lands on which to construct a fire station in her constituency.

She indicated that the construction of the facility is the only outstanding promise she made when she entered representational politics in 2007 that is yet to be fulfilled.

“When I went into the political arena I kept a copy of all I committed to do in south Trelawny and the only thing that I have not completed is the promise of a fire station. Every other item has been, so I am very happy about it,” Dalrymple Philibert told the Jamaica Observer West.

She could not, however, give a start-up date for the construction of the facility which is to sit on lands in Ulster Spring, which once housed the public works department, which borders the sporting complex she opened in 2014.

“I know we are starting soon but can’t give you the exact date,” the MP said.

Speaking to the Observer West in April when she partnered with a group of Chinese business operators to donate gifts valued at more than $3 million to health-care workers in recognition of their dedicated and selfless service since the novel coronavirus outbreak, Dalrymple-Philibert bemoaned the absence of a fire station in the constituency.

With the only fire station in the parish in Falmouth, in the event of a fire in the southern parts of the parish, the fire station at Christiana, in the bordering parish of Manchester, was often called upon to assist.

“We are going to have, before long, our own fire station because right now if there is a fire…if there is one in Falmouth and one in Ulster Spring, our buildings have to burn down because by the time they get there it’s all done. So, really and truly, I can say with pride, as a member of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), that we have improved roads, we are working with water supplies, this Government has done housing, Food for the Poor has been good to us,” Dalrymple Philibert, who is also Speaker of the House of Representatives, stated then.

At that time she revealed that plans are afoot to upgrade the Ulster Spring Health Centre, a recent goal she has set her sights on accomplishing before exiting the political arena.

The four-term MP, however, did not disclose a timeline for her departure from representational politics.

She shared that, in memory of his father, a businessman who hails from the southern parts of the parish, has signalled his intent to partner with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to upgrade the facility.

She stressed the upgrade should include the creation of a laboratory to serve patients.

“As the Member of Parliament, I am particularly interested in setting up a lab, where, when you have your tests to be done, instead of the people from South Trelawny have to go all the way to Mandeville, or Spaldings (Percy Junor Hospital in Manchester), or down to Falmouth (Trelawny), they can go to the health centre because there are excellent workers there,” noted the veteran parliamentarian.

She stressed that the minister of health and wellness has given its commitment to undertake the upgrading of the facility.

“The building there just needs rehabilitation and facilities. And, where there is a will, there is a way. We will have the assessment done and we will work towards it because health is prosperity and that’s what this Government is all about. So I am looking forward to that,” she argued.

There have long been calls for the upgrade of the facilities at the Ulster Spring Health Centre.

Area residents and neighbouring communities have been clamouring for the upgrade of the health facility, which was scaled down in the 1980s, resulting in patients having to travel long distances to receive medical care.

Dalrymple Philibert, however, rued that work on the Quasi River water project has suffered a setback because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“That project has started [but] there is a little delay with COVID. A lot of things have happened but the electricity has been put in place and we started laying the pipes down in Freeman’s Hall and we are going ahead. Everything has slowed down as you understand with the pandemic,” she said.

Additionally, the MP revealed that she expects residents in sections of the constituency to have access to free Wi-Fi soon.

“We are looking forward to the Wi-Fi in our areas so that we can come into the 21st century like everybody else, because as I tell them all the while in South Trelawny, just remember up here we are equal to all, and in many cases better than most,” said Dalrymple Philibert, stressing that “I look forward to the continued development in the constituency.”