Member of Parliament for East Central St. Catherine, Natalie Neita-Headley is calling on the Prime Minister, The Hon Bruce Golding to clarify the protocol that exists for government Ministers undertaking public works and consultations in constituencies of Opposition Members of Parliament.

Mrs. Neita-Headley is requesting the clarification against the background of a meeting held yesterday with two Ministers of Government, Hon Babsy Grange and Hon Dr. Horace Chang and residents of the Angels Heights Community in the East Central St. Catherine constituency. The MP was not informed of the meeting. For over 25 years these residents sought to have their status as landowners regularized without success.  On April 20^th, 2008, Mrs. Neita-Headley was able to bring the stakeholders together to a successful meeting at the Crescent Primary School. 

Mrs. Neita-Headley said, "These efforts are now being undermined as the residents are now in a state of confusion as they were told last night by the two Ministers not to attend any further meetings with their political representative."

The protocol is that MPs are always notified and informed of any such activity being undertaken, especially one of this magnitude.

Mrs. Neita-Headley said, "As the duly elected representative, I refuse to remain silent while the residents of the Angels Heights community are treated as political footballs, especially as it relates to an issue that is so important to them, the ownership of land. If the Minister has a plan to regularize ownership of the lands, then he has a moral obligation to advise the elected Member of Parliament, who has already embarked on offering representation to the people for the first time."

 May 9, 2008

Contact:
Natalie Neita-Headley, MP
East Central St. Catherine
Telephone: (876) 978-1337
Email: