Junior Mayor 2017
Ricardo Mitchell student of the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus and Junior Councillor for the Treadways Division was selected as Junior Mayor for the St. Catherine Municipal Corporation for 2017.
The selection was made from among eleven (11) other Junior Councillors on Tuesday, November 07, 2017 in the Meeting room, Emancipation Square, Spanish Town. Patrice Clayton, student of Glenmuir High representing the Angels Division was selected as Junior Deputy Mayor and Teocie Ford, student of St. Catherine High representing the Bog Walk Division was placed third.
Each Junior Councillor was asked beforehand, to prepare a ten-minute presentation on either “Local Government Reform is good for Jamaica” or “Central Government should handle all affairs of the parish.”
The presentations were judged by a panel of three judges, Bishop Rohan Edwards, Councillor Patricia Harris and Mr. Clive Edwards from the Reform Unit of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.
Mayor Scott brought greetings in his capacity as Chairman of the Corporation and said that he was impressed with the level of research that was done and the information presented. He said that based on what he heard local government and governance is in good hands. He told the Junior Councillors what his role was as Mayor and how he interacts with persons of both political parties and also about some of the issues that councillors had to deal with as elected representatives.
Councillor Kenisha Allen congratulated the Junior Mayor and told him he had an awesome task. She said that there is something very important that they should consider when they think about service. She said that it must begin with passion for community, for people and service in general. She charged the Junior Mayor to keep the group together; to listen to them and organize a meeting with them and create a platform for them to voice their opinion, so that their issues can be brought to the Chairman of the Corporation.
The Junior Councillors all received certificates of participation. Special awards were also presented to the Deputy Junior Mayor and the Junior Councillor who was placed third.
Councillor Keisha Lewis, who moderated did a very good job in ensuring that the participants were comfortable during the proceedings.
Also on hand to support the Junior Councillors were Mr. Andre Griffiths, the Corporation's Acting CEO and members of the administrative staff.
The Junior Mayor will receive a grant through the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development for a project within the parish to be undertaken during his tenure.
Junior Councillors 2017