Dear Editor,

Why is the rural development portfolio attached to the Ministry of Local Government?

When I googled rural development, it states: “Rural development is the process of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people living in rural areas.”

As someone who was born and bred in a rural area, I find it strange that it has been tagged to local government and not the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, since it is in rural areas that economic growth and stable jobs are sorely lacking. I, however, decided to wait and see what would happen because rural Jamaica is desperately in need of help and will accept help from any quarter.

It’s been over a year and Minister Desmond McKenzie has done nothing for rural Jamaica; in fact, through his neglect, I think he has made matters worse.

Minister McKenzie has a legacy as a good local government minister. He ensures that markets are in somewhat good order; he ensures that councillors are doing what they are suppose to do; and he ensures that disaster preparedness measures are in good order whenever we enter the hurricane season. But rural development seems to be above his head.

We need jobs, economic growth, proper infrastructure, etc, and with all due respect, Minister McKenzie is not the man for this job. Don’t ruin his great legacy.

Rural folk need to be rescued by placing our communities on a path of economic growth and job creation. Give us hope.

O Banbury

banburyomar@yahoo.com