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Current allocations insufficient to meet constituency needs, says MP Gordon
🇯🇲 Jamaica /Economy & Trade

Current allocations insufficient to meet constituency needs, says MP Gordon

From Jamaica Observer · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • St Andrew East Central Member of Parliament Dennis Gordon stated that his constituency's needs far exceed current budget allocations.
  • Gordon highlighted that fixing one kilometer of road costs $50 million, but his allocation for municipal road repairs is only $3 million, meaning it would take 15 years to fix one road.
  • He also pointed out the insufficient funding for the 12 schools in his constituency, serving over 7,000 students, and called for a reassessment of budgetary allocations.

St Andrew East Central Member of Parliament Dennis Gordon has voiced strong concerns that the challenges within his constituency are being inadequately addressed by current parliamentary budget allocations. Gordon asserted that the projected cost of $50 million to repair just one kilometer of road, based on National Works Agency estimates, is unfeasible given the existing $3 million allocation for municipal road repairs. He illustrated this by stating it would take 15 years to fix a single road like Chisholm Avenue.

The projection from NWA [National Works Agency] is that it takes $50 million to fix one kilometre of road. For me to fix, let’s say Chisholm Avenue, which is in a poor state, with the allocation, it’s going to take me 15 years to fix Chisholm.

— Dennis GordonGordon explained the disparity between road repair costs and available funding.

Speaking at the Duhaney Park Divisional Conference, Gordon further emphasized the strain on the education sector. He oversees 12 schools, five high schools and seven primary schools, with a combined student population exceeding 7,000. The current allocation of $10 million for these institutions, he argued, is insufficient, leading to a failing education system. Gordon contended that residents are receiving only the "crumbs" of what is necessary.

I have 12 schools, five high schools and seven primary schools. But I have $10 million to share. The school population is over 7,000 persons. If you divide 7,000 into 10 million, you see the average per student from inner city, but yet we continue to say that our education system is failing. It must fail.

— Dennis GordonGordon highlighted the insufficient funding for schools in his constituency.

Gordon called for a fundamental reassessment of budgetary allocations, stressing the importance of prioritizing people. "We have to fix our budgetary allocation. Because we put people first and people are the centre of what we do," he stated, advocating for a more equitable distribution of resources to meet the genuine needs of the constituency.

We have to fix our budgetary allocation. Because we put people first and people are the centre of what we do.

— Dennis GordonGordon called for a reassessment of how funds are allocated.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jamaica Observer. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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