PM Shearer has lashed out persons who he says are offering to sell the government land at very high rates. He has expressed that government will not be paying what is being asked. The lands are needed to build roads and schools.  

Tuesday, March 10, 1970

Gov't opens its 100th community centre

The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Hugh L. Shearer, speaking at the official opening of the Buxton Town Community Centre in St Catherine – the 100th established by the Government since 1964 under the Community Development Programme – said it was an example of the Government’s sincerity to fulfil the promise it made to the country since independence.

Other speakers at the function which was held on Thursday, included the Hon Edward Seaga, minister of finance and planning.

Mr Shearer said that the first phase of the Community Development Programme having been completed, Government would go on to the second phase.

He said that the centre’s completion was made possible by the spirit of cooperation shown by the people in the area.  A number of them had given land free to the Government for the work.  He contrasted this with the attitude of non-cooperation which existed in some other parts of the country where some of Government’s projects for the people’s benefit were held up as a result.

In some places, the prime minister noted, government schemes such as the building of roads, the provision of water supplies, or building of schools, had not begun because of the exorbitant price demands for lands involved in the programme.

REMEDIAL WORK

 Citing examples, Mr Shearer mentioned the North Gully project in Montego Bay.  This could not get under way, he said, because some landlords there were asking $240,000 per acre for land to be used in remedial work.

In the planning of Spanish Town/Kingston four-lane Highway, some landowners were asking, he revealed, J$30,000 per acre.  The Government would not pay the price, he said.

The people of Buxton Town had set a wonderful example, which he hoped would be emulated by other areas of the country.

The project would provide room for expansion of craftwork in the area.  It would offer, in due course, lessons in home economics and carry out literacy projects.

This year, the prime minister added, the Government has already completed nine centres, including Buxton Town.

Giving a breakdown on the 100 centres already built, Mr Shearer called attention to figures which showed that 10,000 persons were participating in their functions.

About 217 groups consisting of 1,800 persons were engaged in craft development work.  Another 140 groups of 2,150 persons were in home economics classes.

RECREATION

Seventy-three other batches of 520 persons were in literacy classes: there were 51 batches with a total number of 580 participants in co-operatives, with others involved in sports and recreation.

In December last year, the centres filled orders worth $6,325 for crafts, and sales amounted in other respects to $3,360.

Training of household helps was taking place at 19 centres where there were now 330 young women.  The centres were not intended to train any particular age group of person, but adults as well.

In doing this, Mr Shearer said, it was necessary to have voluntary help, as it was not possible for the taxpayers of the country to find all the money necessary to provide training.

Although there existed already what he described as a "small army of voluntary workers”. Many more were needed, as the centres were expected to play an important part in the National Youth Service which was now getting the attention of the Ministry of Youth and Community Development.

Mr Seaga, in his address, drew attention to the measure of prosperity that Buxton Town was now enjoying, as evidenced in its suburban type houses, against the few which had existed in the period he spent there.  He also observed that many of the younger people had moved out of the district.

BETTER COUNTRY

This was not good for the area, he said.  It was for this reason that community centres were being established in rural areas in an effort to assist in building each community and making Jamaica a better country throughout.

The function was presided over by the MP for the area,  Miss Enid Bennett.  After opening remarks of welcome by Miss Bennett, the main entrance was opened by Mrs Seaga.

Other speakers included the Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon Roy McNeill, whose constituency once embraced the area; the Minister of Youth and Community Development, the Hon Allan Douglas, whose ministry was responsible for the establishment of the centre; another MP, Mr Tacius Golding, who also had the opportunity of representing the area in past years; the mayor of Spanish Town, Councillor Basil Hamilton, and Mr AD Simpson of the Social Development Commission.

Items of entertainment were offered by pupils of the basic and primary schools, and music was provided by the Jamaica Military Band.  The vote of thanks was moved by Councillor Morris James.

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