THE EDITOR, Sir:

This is an open letter to Local Government Minister Noel Arscott.

I read of your plans to reduce our street-light bill by $1 billion, and I support your effort.

I remind you that under our two recent political regimes, much work was put into establishing and documenting a memorandum of understanding between the local authorities and the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to govern the method of charging for street-light service.

The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) was the facilitator, and the Association of Local Government Authorities (ALGA) represented the parish councils in the negotiations.

I suppose JPS would not be averse to you starting all over again, since that would allow them to continue overcharging us.

Minister, the OUR, along with the JPS and surely ALGA, has much information on the way forward. You don’t even have to go that far, as the real workers in your ministry who were party to the deliberations would also have the information.

The document was awaiting the signature of JPS or the ruling of the OUR, and you should be able to bring about a final position shortly.

Please pursue this matter for us, the payers of property tax.

MILTON C. BROWN

Former Mayor of May Pen

Former President, ALGA

Read more:

THE EDITOR, Sir:

This is an open letter to Local Government Minister Noel Arscott.

I read of your plans to reduce our street-light bill by $1 billion, and I support your effort.

I remind you that under our two recent political regimes, much work was put into establishing and documenting a memorandum of understanding between the local authorities and the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to govern the method of charging for street-light service.

The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) was the facilitator, and the Association of Local Government Authorities (ALGA) represented the parish councils in the negotiations.

I suppose JPS would not be averse to you starting all over again, since that would allow them to continue overcharging us.

Minister, the OUR, along with the JPS and surely ALGA, has much information on the way forward. You don’t even have to go that far, as the real workers in your ministry who were party to the deliberations would also have the information.

The document was awaiting the signature of JPS or the ruling of the OUR, and you should be able to bring about a final position shortly.

Please pursue this matter for us, the payers of property tax.

MILTON C. BROWN

Former Mayor of May Pen

Former President, ALGA

Read more:

Professor Jens Born, a consultant on biogas energy, makes a case for local farmers to invest in biodigesters and other appropriate forms of clean, environmentally friendly energy during a workshop hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Technology. - Photo BY Christopher Serju
Professor Jens Born, a consultant on biogas energy, makes a case for local farmers to invest in biodigesters and other appropriate forms of clean, environmentally friendly energy during a workshop hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Technology. – Photo BY Christopher Serju

Pig farmers urged to get more out of animals

Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

LOCAL PIG farmers have been challenged to get more out of their animals – literally; and in the process, increase the financial returns on their investments in an environmentally friendly way.

That challenge came from Professor Jens Born, a consultant in biogas and renewable energy forms, during a recent workshop hosted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Jamaica.

“They need to stop wasting the (animal) waste and harness it to not only recover some of their money, but also generate income from it (waste),” he told

Professor Jens Born, a consultant on biogas energy, makes a case for local farmers to invest in biodigesters and other appropriate forms of clean, environmentally friendly energy during a workshop hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Technology. - Photo BY Christopher Serju
Professor Jens Born, a consultant on biogas energy, makes a case for local farmers to invest in biodigesters and other appropriate forms of clean, environmentally friendly energy during a workshop hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Technology. – Photo BY Christopher Serju

Pig farmers urged to get more out of animals

Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

LOCAL PIG farmers have been challenged to get more out of their animals – literally; and in the process, increase the financial returns on their investments in an environmentally friendly way.

That challenge came from Professor Jens Born, a consultant in biogas and renewable energy forms, during a recent workshop hosted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Jamaica.

“They need to stop wasting the (animal) waste and harness it to not only recover some of their money, but also generate income from it (waste),” he told