1) The Possible Closure of the Orange Bay Police Station.
We are about to lose our Police Station the only security we have in the area that meet the needs for thirteen (13) other communities including ours, all because it is under staffed, and rundown not fit for human habitation and now facing permanent closure.
2) The Pending Closure of the Orange Bay Post Office.
This Post Office is the only one between Hope Bay and Buff Bay that serves these communities mentioned above and more so our elderly. Most of our citizens are unemployed, self employed, senior citizens and pensioners who cannot afford travelling to elsewhere to access their mails and pensions. They will experience severe hardship and the community will plunge into even deeper poverty should these two government entities be removed from us.
We are aware of your verbal concern and commitment to refurbish both the police station and post office which was relayed to us by Councillor Gloria Silvera at our recently held community meeting on February 24, 2011 to address these sensitive matters. We are very thankful for the quick and positive response but we still feel very strongly that these communities on a whole are been neglected.
However the citizens would like to suggest an alternative which will have long term impact on both communities and citizens. They have suggested that the police station and the post office be rebuilt in one complex on the said parcel of government owned land which houses the present dilapidated post office. This will help to minimize the paying of rent or lease as presently the police do, and to ensure the safety and efficiency of both building and services offered by these two entities. This will allow our citizens to live and enjoy peace in spite of the harsh economic realities we are now facing.
Some of the challenges we face are that of illegal wood cutting, water source poisoning/illegal fishing, sand mining that has a negative impact on the environment, community and citizens. We also experience a high degree of praedial larceny.
We are convinced if the police presence were not strong in these communities things would have been worst as we have to call on them frequently for help, and, they not having the resources and proper facilities make their working environment even more difficult for them to deliver.
We are more than convinced that if these services are removed from us, then this part of Portland will be in danger of fast becoming a ghost town and a safe haven for outside criminals. Also this is a part of our community development plan that we have developed a proposal plan for, which we have been seeking your interest more than two years but to no avail, despite our many letters, telephone calls, invitations for you to meet with us, we have yet to receive a response.
3) Poor Road Condition in the Communities
Our request to you in addressing the poor road conditions in the communities of Hopewell, Leyton Valley and part of the Mount James to Hopewell road, with the most resent request being the Warf Lane/Low Leyton road, these are also a major part of the development plan as they provide access to homes, farm lands and the proposed development sites.
In the latter part of 2010, we had sent an estimate to you that the Portland Parish Council had prepared for us to date we have not heard a word from you. These roads have become a perfect river coast posing treat to commuters making citizens lives unbearable. Persons have received injuries because of the large boulders in the road surface.
4) Development of a Tourism Product in Orange Bay and Black Hill Community.
The Development of the following projects as a tourism product that will impact all, our visitors, citizens, communities, our country and even you our MP.
a) The Railway Station as a museum and theme park
b) 18th century building in the Lennox/Low Leyton community as a botanical garden and recreation park.
c) The development of a campsite, herbal garden and hike trail in the Upper Leyton or Hopewell community of Orange Bay.
d) A Cave and hike trail in the Black Hill community. All these activities would link to the railway as a one stop.
5) The Orange Bay/Black Hill CDC request for lease of the Orange Bay Railway station to be developed as a museum and theme park.
The Orange Bay/Black Hill Community Development Committee (CDC) has written letters to the Railway Cooperation of which copies were sent to the Prime Minister Hon Bruce Golding and both Hon Michael Henry Minister of Transport and Works, and yourself requesting permission and a lease for the Orange Bay Railway Station to be the centre of our development plan which is included in the project that the Forest Conservation Fund (FCF) is prepared to fund once the feasibility study is been completed by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO).
The Orange Bay Railway station is a gazetted heritage site. The only of its kind in Portland and we the citizens are requesting to have this site as part of our community project to be developed in the interest of our community and country, and not to have it fall prey into the hands of some private persons who do not have the compassion for the citizens of Orange Bay and its environs. Since January 24th 2011 approximately eight (8) weeks ago we have been experiencing private contractors under the guidance of the Railway Management and other government officers stripping away all of the railway tracks without notifying the citizens of the community, and dismantling a heritage site without giving the slightest consideration of the impact to one of the most treasured monument Jamaica has.
The Forest Conservation Fund is prepared to assist the community with funding for a part of our project proposal in the amount of forty million ($40m) Ja. Dollars which presently the feasibility study is being carried out by TPDCO and we are not able to get your interest in what is happening.
6) The Re-establishment of a Maternity Centre at the Buff Bay Health Centre/Clinic
There is a serious decline in our birth rate all because our babies no longer born in Western Portland because of lack of a maternity centre. All our children for more than six (6) years now is being born elsewhere with the majority being born in St Mary. This poses a serious decline to our Parish statics more so impact greatly the constituency of Western Portland.
For more than two years we have been making requests for your assistance towards these plans
and all we receive is sheer silence of which we consider as an act of insult and sabotage to a
community that has a lot of natural resources and is poised with the potential for development.
It is our wish to find our own path in the country’s economic recovery, not depending on
handouts to exist as we would be able to create jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for more
than 100 persons from within the communities, and our farmers experiencing a boost in their
trade.
Our youths would acquire skills training and adult literacy programme would be taking place.
This will impact all the communities greatly creating new opportunities for our citizens and build
the communities confidence.
We are making one more loud and desperate appeal to you as the Member of Parliament responsible for this constituency, who holds the powers in your hands that has been given to you by the people to change the life of these communities, and not to allow our communities to disintegrate any further. We would like to be given the opportunity to help ourselves to take our communities out of dire poverty, and we are asking that you do not block us with the silence we are presently receiving. We deserved to be represented and heard thus we deserve to live.
Therefore we seek your urgent approach in saving our communities from all the evil elements of poverty and manmade disaster as there is a serious threat on our environment, our youths especially our boys and the elderly. Not being able to care for them as we should is the worst threat to ever face a society.
We are submitting this petition electronically to get the support of all Portlanders throughout our island and the Diaspora. Also to all stakeholders who have a vested interest in the restoration and development of Western Portland. We are requesting the necessary assistance in whatever way we can obtain help.
