PRESENTATION FOR STATE OF THE CONSTITUENCY DEBATE HUGH GRAHAM, MP NORTH-WEST ST. CATHERINE

November 3, 2021,

Gordon House.

INTRODUCTION

Madam Speaker, I begin my presentation today with an expression of gratitude to the Almighty God, without whom I would not be standing here, as He has allowed me to speak for the second time in this Honourable House on behalf of my people of North-West St. Catherine… MY FAMILY.

Madam Speaker, usually they are the first persons I speak to in the morning and the last before I fall asleep at night.

Madam Speaker, I have been their Member of Parliament for just over one year, and again I say thank you to my North West St. Catherine family for allowing HUGO….. to serve you.

Madam Speaker, I want to acknowledge and recognize my mother. Mama, your fervent prayers have continuously blessed and strengthened me throughout the years. To my four beautiful children, I thank you for your patience with me and your sacrifices as the workload grew heavier and heavier.

BUT LET ME STATE THAT I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU.

Madam Speaker, to my foundational friends, I acknowledge you as you have been with me, providing your unwavering support.

Madam Speaker, I also want to thank the “Leadership of the Constituency”, the Constituency Executive, and my personal management team who, together have supported me throughout this journey and continue to do so sacrificially.

With humility Madam Speaker, I could not be here speaking in this Honourable House without the “Seven Star General”, the Honourable Robert Bobby Pickersgill O.J.

On this side of the house Madam Speaker, we fondly refer to him as Chairman for Life, who has earned his reputation by being with the people and for the people.

MADAM SPEAKER, SINCE JACK STEPHENSON, WE HAVE NOT LOST THE CONSTITUENCY AND I HAVE THE AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT IT REMAINS THAT WAY.

Madam Speaker, I could not end this segment of my presentation without acknowledging my leader, the SIXTH president of the great People’s National Party, Comrade Mark Golding. MADAM SPEAKER, I WISH HIM WELL.

Yes, Madam Speaker, the great PNP, and I pause here to reflect on the stature of the man, the Rt. Honourable Norman Washington Manley, who through his political wisdom helped to found this party, which still embraces and arguably leads most of the progressive changes in JAMAICA, LAND WE LOVE.

Madam Speaker, I am reminded of the second verse of my Party’s song “Jamaica Arise”

“The road will be dreary, the barriers strong

Our progress may falter and energies wane

But STEADFAST in spirit, OUR GOALS we will gain

A nobiler Jamaica, a loftier race.”

WHICH I NOW ADOPT AS MY OWN.

Madam Speaker, I want to use this opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of the hardworking staff of the Parliament, who play an integral part in this Honourable House by ensuring that each member is properly informed, nourished and are always ready to assist at any time and in any way possible.

Madam Speaker, I thank you for your patience and understanding in providing the requisite guidance for our deliberations, debates and decisions.

And finally, I want to acknowledge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their many courtesies and kindnesses since I was elected to this House.

Madam Speaker, I have a responsibility to report to the country on my stewardship in my role as Member of Parliament for my North West St Catherine FAMILY, but before I begin, permit me to give two simple affirmations:

I believe that:

1. The fundamental and over-arching first principle of my representation is to support my Constituents to the best of my ability and,

2. We rise by lifting others…. “What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.”

So, to my North West family, this report is for you, as I continue to devise and implement strategies that will provide a roadmap to fast track the achievements of the vision for the Constituency; To aim higher and write a new chapter.

Madam Speaker, at this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges faced in my first year as the elected representative were awesome and, at times, WELL NIGH impossible.

But Madam Speaker, It was the rallying efforts of the councillors, constituency executive members, dedicated volunteers and my constituents that brought us thus far.

While adhering to the COVID-19 protocols, they made the task of service seamless. Indeed, teamwork allocates the effort evenly and multiplies the effect.

Throughout this period, my feet were grounded on St. Mark Chapter 9: verse 35: "If anyone wants to be first, HE MUST BE THE LAST OF ALL and THE SERVANT OF ALL”. And as I often say, I did not come into politics for honours and glory. I came into politics to work FOR THE PEOPLE.

Madam Speaker, there were challenging times not without bitter moments, in fact Madam Speaker like others of us I have lost close members to COVID-19. But I never wavered from my duty to serve my North West St. Catherine FAMILY. Comrades and Labourites alike, Madam Speaker, and in fact, if you are "nowhere-ians", HUGO is here to serve YOU TOO.

Madam Speaker, I begin my report to this Honourable House with VACCINATION

“FED UP AND TYAAD…..OUTSIDE WE SEH”

Madam Speaker, the key to ending this pandemic is VACCINATING our people.

Celebrations and Jubilations for the Christmas season my North West family, we lighting up the Linstead bridge again. Outside we seh….GET VAXXED.

Madam Speaker, I want my family of North West St. Catherine to enjoy meeting up at their bars and round robins without constant worry about the "blue lights". It is straightforward: We will get our lives back if WE GET VAXXED.

Madam Speaker, I miss the buzz in the Linstead market and the “big tune” of the selectors across the Constituency. I MISS “holding a reasoning” with residents of Rose Duncan Park, the STREET PEOPLE Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, even some of these people took the ONE JAB… Johnson and Johnson.

But Madam Speaker, they don’t have IDs or letter from J.P.

Madam Speaker, I duly recognize the government's efforts in implementing the National Vaccination Programme nationwide. Unfortunately, within the boundaries of my constituency, it is not affordable for persons to travel to the permanent sites established by the Ministry of Health.

Madam Speaker, We, therefore, subscribe to the need for partnership and an integrated or "joined up" approach to achieve our overarching goal of herd immunity. As a result, we have organized several vaccination blitzes supported by the M.O.H and Ministry of Local Government.

Our promotional strategies entitled "A DAY CALLED GET VAXXED COME TEK THE JAB" that is our JINGLE, with MOH as the selector – Astra Zeneca High Power Sound alongside Johnson and Johnson and HUGO BOSS as the Flagman. A town crier was used to inform persons of the blitzes and to bring their IDs to come TEK THE JAB. It was a BLITZY affair with refreshment and even free Panadol AFTER…..YOU TAKE THE JAB.

But Madam Speaker, we have to educate OUR people as they have strong cultural influences.

Like my friend Lady THICK-I-ANN, Madam Speaker, who believes “the bush” is the cure. I have to “hold a reasoning” with her that both the vaccine and "the bush" can work together, the vaccine protects while "the bush" makes her happy. This is the reality of my rural PEOPLE.

Madam Speaker, we have had remarkable turnouts in the numbers of persons from these small rural communities who availed themselves to be vaccinated.

Some of the sites were:

Lluidas Vale Primary School: 155

Ewarton Sports Complex: 201

Orangefield community Centre:40

Pollyground primary School:23

Mt. Rosser primary school: 32

Tydixon Infant and Primary School: 30

Magrath High School: first: 112, second: 160

Linstead Market Mobile Blitz: 206

Windalco: 171

Worthy Park:112

The Permanent vaccination site, at LINSTEAD ANGLICAN CHURCH : 12,321.

TOTAL: 13563

Madam Speaker, I will redouble MY efforts to fulfil the goal of vaccinating the numbers required to obtain herd immunity and ENSURE that our people stay healthy.

My family of NORTH WEST ST. CATHERINE continue TO TEK THE JAB. OUTSIDE WE SEH……KONNECT

Madam Speaker, WE CANNOT BECOME WEARY IN WELL DOING.

WELFARE

Madam Speaker, as we Konnect with the vaccine, we will inevitably see an exodus for the movement of Jah people. OUTSIDE WE SEH…….

This is PARAMOUNT as Madam Speaker, COVID-19 has worsened the tremendous needs of our citizens and has caused great hardships on the marginalized and working poor. With the upsurge of the recent numbers, there have been unfortunate deaths within the constituency, such that the Welfare Fund has been exhausted.

Madam Speaker, over the period, we delivered over 3000 CARE packages with funds allocated through the Constituency Development Fund, the Ministry of Labour and Social Services, Tourism Product Development Company, the Ministry of Finance and other donations to meet the needs of the Constituents.

Economic Enablement for small businesses:

Madam Speaker, as I stated earlier, the COVID-19 pandemic has created and exacerbated vulnerabilities. Many households cannot satisfy their basic needs and are crying out for an Exodus, Madam Speaker, WE NEED TO GET VAXXED Madam Speaker GET VAXXED.

Madam Speaker, an economic enablement programme of $4 million from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Services under the social intervention programme, will assist persons, like my friend Lady THICK-I-ANN, who owns a corner shop and Maas Putt, a cabinet maker who are both experiencing financial hardships.

Madam Speaker, Assistance to these micro businesses will include replenishment of stocks for grocery shop operators, materials for cabinet makers, and support for other fledgling businesses.

Sanitization:

Madam Speaker, With the advent of the pandemic we have installed OVER 20 hand wash stations in and around the town of Linstead and the Constituency at a cost of approximately FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. This serves to assist in the process of keeping our people healthy by promoting community-based hygiene practices thus reducing the incidence of communicable diseases, like COVID-19.

BUT Madam Speaker, while we promote these HEALTHY practices, we are challenged by YOUR Garbage Collection System.

Madam Speaker, there is a popular native American Proverb that states, I QUOTE, “we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”.

The profound message here is I need to take care of the town of Linstead and indeed the Constituency so that I can pass on a CLEAN and HEALTHY environment to future generations.

Madam Speaker, have you ever felt abandoned? I HOPE NOT MADAM SPEAKER. But that is how my North West family feels as they IM-PATIENTLY wait to have their garbage collected.

Madam Speaker, Regular garbage collection is more honoured in the breach than in the observance.

AS MY CONSTITUENTS WOULD SAY “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”

Madam Speaker, the time is now for us to take seriously our role and responsibility in PROTECTING our environment. As a result, we have distributed over two hundred garbage drums in the Constituency and expanded two garbage receptacles in the town of Linstead to help to deal with this matter AT A COST OF FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

WATER:

Madam Speaker, water is, without doubt, life. Its impact on sustainable development is without parallel, and it is critical for the maintenance of environmental and human health.

The provision of water is a focal point for me to meet the needs of the Constituents, particularly within deep rural communities.

Madam Speaker, as reported previously, the National Water Commission is in the process of upgrading the potable water system at the Jericho pumping station to provide water to several communities. These include Orangefield, Gidden, Pollyground, Charlton and Negro House. This is a two-year project, to be done in four phases and to be completed in 2022. Two of which have already been completed.

Madam Speaker, I was informed that THIS PROJECT is approximately 300 million dollars.

FOR THIS WE SAY A MILLION THANKS

Madam Speaker, please allow me to express my gratitude to the Member from South West St. Catherine, Minister Warmington for your role in pushing this project ahead.

Madam Speaker, as you know, the Constituents appetite are insatiable but at the risk of sounding ungrateful I have to represent their demands, Madam Speaker, there is an area in the Constituency by the name of Pennington, that I get the most beating from because of the lack of water. So Madam Speaker, I want to ask Minister Mckenzie if he could have the Rural Water Supply Limited look at this area and see what can done.

Agriculture:

Madam Speaker, I want to take the opportunity to recognize Farmer Monsta who hails from the lush farmlands of Lluidas Vale. Madam Speaker, He has placed farming on a new level. He has subsequently set a standard, leading to the expansion of produce to local markets and enhancing revenues while promoting the development of small businesses within this rural community.

Madam Speaker, we have emphasized supplying farmers with livestock and other agricultural supplies to start and sustain their agricultural livelihood. This initiative came out of the reality that the primary enterprise within our rural communities is farming.

Madam Speaker, I understand that Duck rearing is a good business. However, Madam Speaker, we are challenged as where we have WATER we don’t have LAND and where we have LAND we don’t have WATER, therefore, Madam Speaker, it is important for us to have water in these rural communities.

Madam Speaker, If we are able to provide water to these rural communities we will be able to expand our agricultural base and this will help to alleviate rural poverty and then experience the REAL MOVEMENT OF JAH PEOPLE.

Madam Speaker, I want to commend RADA in promoting agriculture in our rural communities. On that note, Madam Speaker:

• Forty constituents received chickens and feed, AT A COST OF EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS

• Thirty farmers received pigs with feed and medication through the Revolving- Pig project, AT A COST OF EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS

• Eighty farmers received agricultural supplies of seeds and fertilizers.

• Ten farmers received tanks and drip irrigation systems.

• SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS was allocated by the Ministry of Agriculture to assist with increase agricultural production for farmers who suffered in the recent rainy season.

Madam Speaker, The Ewarton JBI Community has benefitted from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) to construct a Greenhouse Cluster of 20 greenhouses on lands at Riverhead which they were given access to by Windalco. This is set to benefit in the excess of 100 farmers.

Overseas FARM work Programme:

Madam Speaker, 80 persons were submitted for to this programme of which 10 persons have already left.

A BIG thank you to Minister Samuda.

Agricultural development requires the development of other infrastructure such as roads to facilitate transporting of produce and thus promoting economic growth.

ROADS:

Madam Speaker, ……"Baddest ting a road" , whether FARM road, PAROCHIAL road or MAIN ARTERIAL roads……THIS IS A SORE POINT in my Constituency.

Madam Speaker, many of the roads within the Constituency are in need of repair and proper maintenance. With the recent flood rains, they suffered more damage, creating chaos in some areas of the constituency.

But Madam Speaker, my colleagues on both sides of this Honourable house would agree that all our raw materials for our local industries come from rural areas. WE, THE RURAL MPs need MORE consideration for rural farm road rehabilitation, such as COCKROW , NEWHALL and PENNINGTON.

Madam Speaker, I acknowledge strides made to improve rural infrastructure, BUT when it comes to road Madam Speaker, the Constituents don’t care whether it is a farm road or NWA road.

Madam Speaker, they travel with two pairs of shoes, one to walk on the road and the other to put on when they reach to church. To COMPOUND this, Madam Speaker, the taxis only drop them part way and then they have to walk the rest of the way because THE ROADS ARE BAD.

Madam Speaker, I always remember what a former president of the USA said “THE ROAD TO DEVELOPMENT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF ROADS”

Madam Speaker, I acknowledge that many roads in the constituency are parochial roads, only a paltry few belong to NWA.

Madam Speaker, when people want road repairs, they do not care about ownership, and the buck stops with the MP. I tell you

Madam Speaker, Baddest ting a road……

So Madam Speaker, we had some patching done during Christmas last year on Jericho- Orangefield road, Victoria- Banbury road and more recently the town of Linstead as well as Worthy Park- Lluidas Vale road.

Madam Speaker, I was also promised, and I believe it is near fruition, the Waterloo Road. And in this regard, Madam Speaker, I want AGAIN to say thank you to Minister Warmington.

AND as my political mentor would say “An attitude of gratitude can make your life a Beatitude”.

Madam Speaker, SINCE I AM IN A THANKFUL MOOD, I ALSO WANT TO THANK Minister Montague and the JBI for funding through the bauxite communities fund valued at $8 million. Of course, Madam Speaker, I PROUDLY REMIND THIS HOUSE that this fund is a creation of the PNP using the proceeds from the bauxite levy.

The patching includes York Street Main Road, and Ewarton to Pollyground main road.

Madam Speaker, Through the National Housing Trust Scheme Upgrading Programme, that the Prime Minister announced more than two years ago, to date, nothing has been done to the scheme roads of the Charlemont Housing Scheme NOR the White House Housing Scheme.

But Madam Speaker, I like, Bob Marley, don’t want to wait in vain

But for these projects.

Madam Speaker, let me not forget to also request an update on the New Works Housing Scheme Sewage project under this same program.

OTHER PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE:

Madam Speaker, The ‘Spruce up Jamaica’ programme, being undertaken by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) has enabled the construction of the Orangefield multi-purpose court valued at $ 4 million.

I MUST say thank you to Minister Bartlett.

Madam Speaker, I hope that the members of this community get VAXXED so they can enjoy these facilities.

MOVEMENT OF JAH PEOPLE……OUTSIDE WE SEH.

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES:

Madam Speaker, in October, we celebrated National Disability Employment Awareness under the theme “Inclusion Drives Innovation”.

We have recognized the members of this community within our North West St. Catherine FAMILY and it is my sworn duty to make the town more diversified and inclusive. I was taken on a tour with an admirable lady who has NOT allowed her physical disability to deter her from achieving her goals.

The tour highlighted the lack of inclusiveness of the town for persons with disabilities, including the areas such as the courthouse, the police station, the post office. Believe it or NOT the all IMPORTANT ELECTORAL OFFICE of JAMAICA.

Madam Speaker, I ask for support to ensure that the town IN PARTICULAR, these public buildings are made accessible to persons with disabilities and thus enabling them to have the same opportunities to participate in the everyday aspect of life.

HOUSING:

Housing solutions is another major emphasis within the constituency. I am happy to state that 50 households through the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job creation received housing assistance of 1.5 million dollars.

Madam Speaker, Five Constituents were approved under the New Social Housing Programme, the cost of the houses is IN EXCESS of 25 million dollars.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT:

The youths are IN FACT the future as well as the society's backbone.

But Madam Speaker, they are facing some of the worse challenges in their young lives. I speak specifically to the interruption of their educational process in this unprecedented time.

Therefore, Madam Speaker, we opened the Constituency office to facilitate enrichment programmes for CXC and CAPE students. The students were able to access internet connectivity for online learning and in fact we upgraded the package to a stable high-speed Internet service (15 megabytes of data) to facilitate uninterrupted service for the students and tutors during these enrichment sessions.

Madam Speaker, we have a thriving ambitious group of scholars from tertiary institutions who reside within the Constituency and are willing to give back to their community.

I want to Big up to Alyanna, A third year medical student from Rosehall, who single handledly organized and led this initiative to a successful conclusion. Subjects taught were Chemistry, Physics and IT to name a few.

Madam Speaker, we created two classrooms of ten students per shift (each student six feet apart). These classes were held three times per day in different subject areas. All students passed and moved on to further their education, with one student being awarded outstanding performance.

Madam Speaker, in order to assist the youths in North West we are collaborating with the HEART trust NTA under the social intervention programme called the National Unattached Youth programme (NUYP).

Madam Speaker, two hundred persons will be enrolled for training in January 2022.

EDUCATION: THE BEST FOR LAST:

Madam Speaker, Let us recall the words of the great Bob Marley, "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds".

Madam Speaker, the one essential element that helps create better societies and gives a sense of freedom- is EDUCATION.

A society of justice. A society of opportunity. An empowered society. An educated society. Let us NOT FORGET, Madam Speaker these phrases that clearly reflected the aspirations which our iconic leader, the late Most Honourable Michael Manley articulated for JAMAICA, LAND WE LOVE. He gracefully created an educational revolution as he embarked upon a system of free education in this country.

Madam Speaker, Over 120 students at the tertiary level received tuition assistance through the Constituency Development fund. Madam Speaker, I can report that three students have informed me that they have successfully completed their degrees and are currently employed in the field of their choice: including one with first class honours. BIG RESPECT TO AKIEEM.

Madam Speaker, TWO students have received scholarships to pursue studies in the field of science supported by the private sector.

Madam Speaker, I QUOTE “SERVANTHOOD IS MARKED BY UNSELFISH GIVING….RATHER THAN WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME LIVING”….I want to thank Minister Vaz as we have received one of the three USF hotspots in Lluidas Vale. This is of great benefit to the students as most of them don’t have connectivity at their homes or schools such as, Juan de Bolas, Top Hill and Tydixon. I am excited…. waiting in anticipation for the second hot spot at Rose Duncan Park in Linstead town. And Madam Speaker, I am also hoping for an early resolution for the connectivity in in these schools Tydixon, Top Hill and Juan de Bolas primary schools.

IN CLOSING:

Madam Speaker, I end on this note….as I reflect on the words of the late Most Honourable Norman Manley "The danger is the regard of society as a static, standstill unit. It is NOT. Society is a dynamic unit, and it is NOT comprised of separate or several parts, BUT A WHOLE , in which all parts are interconnected in a way that cannot arbitrarily be changed because they are inherent in the existence of human life."

Madam Speaker, The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that a crisis might come at any time, and we need to be ready. To deal with any crisis, TOUGH decisions are required. And, Madam Speaker, I implore all of us ON THAT SIDE AND THIS SIDE to make the RIGHT DECISIONS for OUR PEOPLE, the people we LEAD.

Despite the stress and anxiety that we have undoubtedly encountered over the last 18 months, it is my duty to ensure that I keep the flame alive within each constituent, my family of North West St. Catherine.

I end by reflecting upon Acts 20 verse 35: “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of OUR Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

I REPEAT….. “IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE.”

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I thank you