Just testing here

The New Kingston Citizens' Association extends its congratulations to newly re-elected MP, Maxine Henry-Wilson in the General Elections of September 5. We look forward to continuing to work with MP Henry-Wilson. The NKCA extends congratulations also to the newly elected Prime Minister Bruce Golding and to the Government he leads. The NKCA wishes both MP Henry-Wilson and the new Government every success in the future in working to make New Kingston, South East St. Andrew and indeed the wider Jamaica a better place to live.

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This is a response to the letter entitled Burdensome Parking Changes in New Kingston, which appeared in the Observer of Friday, June 8.

While the towing of illegally parked cars on Pawsey Road and roads leading off it might have been an inconvenience to the persons who parked there, we have to point out the tremendous inconvenience that residents of the area have experienced for several years because of those illegally parked cars. Brisbane Road, a side road, was blocked off at its intersection with Pawsey Road a few years ago due to the high level of traffic accidents that occurred at that intersection. The road quickly became a parking lot as vehicles are parked there from as early as 7 am and remained there until 6 pm or later each work day. These cars were parked on both sides of the road and right across the blocked end. Now that the bollards blocking the intersection have been removed by unknown persons, vehicles are still parked there all day long, including in the middle of the open road.

This situation is unbearable for the residents of Brisbane Road as they are unable to maneuver in an out of their drive ways, which are often blocked by a parked car. Some residents have had their own vehicles, properly parked in their own parking lots, dented as motorists try to maneuver in the impossibly small space on the double parked road. On Pawsey, one side is lined daily with cars, making it impossible to see oncoming traffic when one is turning on to Pawsey Road.

The motorists who have been parking illegally on these roads may have been inconvenienced when their cars were towed last week, but residents on these roads have been inconvenienced for years by those who block up these roads daily.

This is a response to the letter entitled Polls, prostitutes and the press, by Vernon Daley which appeared in the Daily Gleaner of Tuesday, May 29.

While we applaud Mr. Daley for being concerned about the welfare of the prostitutes in New Kingston, we cannot support his stance that it was wrong for the police to arrest 19 of them last month. While we understand Mr. Daley’s concern about the prostitutes and his fear that they may be driven underground and away from HIV treatment, he is forgetting that these prostitutes, who he says should be left on the streets, are plying their trade right in front of people’s homes. It is not a pleasant situation to have prostitutes beckoning to you and and/or your guests and you drive home. Perhaps, if Mr. Daley wants to keep them on the streets he could offer space in front of his home?

We wholeheartedly endorse the police’s action; after all we are a nation of laws and not of opinions, and feel that the law should be amended to include some sort of rehabilitation programme as part of their sentence. Any solution to the prostitution problem must encompass both the Police and the Health agencies as the problem is both a law enforcement one and a health problem. We feel that the responsible way to solve the problem is to get them off the streets and into counseling/rehabilitation where they can get job skills and medical care. Leaving them on the streets does no one a favour, not us the residents, or the prostitutes who nightly put their health at risk and themselves in danger of physical abuse from their “customers”.

UPDATE: The One Love Village was cancelled on March 19 due to a lack of participation from visitors.

As part of the activities surrounding the 2007 Cricket World Cup, 'One Love Jamaica Village' will be set up at the Cable and Wireless Golf Academy and the National Housing Trust (NHT) car park in New Kingston from March 12 to 24, to accommodate locals and visitors, especially on 'off match' days. The event will feature food and craft vendors and live concerts on March 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22. Live cricket will be shown on big screens and partcipants will have access to a wireless internet hub. The official press release can be read here.  read more »

The New Kingston Citizens' Association will be having a benefit performance of Patrick Brown's play Cutie and the Freak. The play boasts the comedic talents of Oliver Samuels and Glen Campbell and is a Jamaican version of the classic story Beauty and the Beast. The performance will be on Wednesday, March 21 at 8 pm at the Centerstage Theatre on Dominica Drive in New Kingston. Tickets cost J$1000 or US$15 and the proceeds will go towards the Citizens' Association's efforts to beautify the residential areas of New Kingston. By all accounts, the play is hilarious and thoroughly entertaining. You can read a review of it here. You can contact us for tickets. As of Monday, March 12, Tickets will be available at Moodies Pharmacy in the New Kingston Shopping Centre

The New Kingston Citizens' Association wishes Pastors Eugene and Frances Wolfley God's richest blessings as they make their way back to their home in Iowa. They have pastored the Worthington Friends Church for several years. They have always been very supportive of the NKCA, making the church's meeting room available for our meetings. They will leave the island on Tuesday, January 16, 2007. They will, however, return temporarily at Easter, but will leave again in April.  read more »

The Kingston and St. Andrew Health Department has started issuing health alert cards to residents of New Kingston. The cards state:"The KSA Health Department is conducting a malaria surveillance in your area. If you become ill with fever between November 8, 2006 and December 22, 2006 please visit your clinic or health care provider and present this card."  read more »

The 'Open Arms' drop in centre, situated on Bellevue lands at 16 1/2 Windward Road, was officially launched on Wednesday, November 8, 2006. Giving greetings were Harry Douglas, Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government and Environment, Shahine Robinson, Opposition Spokesperson on Local Government and Mayor Desmond McKenzie of the KSAC. Information Minister, Donald Buchanan gave the keynote address on behalf of Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller, who sent apologies for her unavoidable absence.  read more »