No place for extortionists in South West St. Catherine, says Warmington

By Nakinskie Robinson   

 

Member of Parliament for St. Catherine South Western, Everald Warmington, has made it clear that extortionists have no place in the constituency.

 

His warning comes as construction work is to begin on the new state of the art Old Harbour Comprehensive Health Centre.

 

The comment also follows news that repair work on a section of Mandela Highway in St. Catherine was recently halted after thugs attempted to extort money from the contractor.

 

"No don nuh work here, and those who going extort, extortion is not one of the word that is spelt in South West St. Catherine. Therefore, the contractor is free to come inside here, do his work without any impediment by anyone. I want to encourage him that at any time anybody approach him and want to be gang leader, gang man, or extortioner, report it to me because the only gang leader, or leader there is, is me. The only person who calls the shot is me," said the MP, who insisted the contractor would be allowed "to build for the community, for all of us to enjoy".

 

The government has since said is will be providing increased security for its road repair programmes to combat extortion in volatile communities.

 

Mr. Warmington, who welcomed the construction of the Old Harbour Comprehensive Health Centre, argued that it is long overdue.

 

Speaking Wednesday at the groundbreaking and signing ceremony for the new facility, he said the construction of the health centre had been delayed under the former Prime Minister Bruce Golding administration in 2009.   

 

"After UDC went through all the struggle, designed what I believe was a type-4 health centre, and it was intended then to take the pressure of Spanish Town and May Pen, the Ministry of Health saw it fit to put that design aside and start from scratch again," he lamented. 

 

But he thanked current Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton for finally pushing the project along. 

 

The US$6 million facility will serve 10,000 people monthly.

 

It is being funded by the government and international partners.