Christopher Serju, Star Writer

Member of Parliament for South East St Catherine Colin Fagan has challenged his constituents to learn more about the political process, including and especially the roles of political representatives at different levels. In this way, he said, they were more likely to get more out of the system in terms of infrastructural improvements in their locality.

He charged that the confusion about the roles of members of parliament (MP) and councillors often results in time wasting with people going to the wrong places, resulting in inordinate delays over simple matters. To this end, the state minister for local government ministry sought to clear the air.

"Sometimes we get into trouble because people want councillor to do the same thing that MP do and vice versa. A lot of what happens in the constituency as it relates to representation usually goes through the councillor who is nearest you. This is the man or woman you will see, or should see, on a regular basis in the community, at your citizens' associations meetings and other events."

Speaking at his annual back-to-school assistance project at the Portmore HEART Academy, where some of the councillors had earlier addressed the audience, Fagan explained his reason for having them on the programme.

councillors

"So I want you to know your councillor. I just don't want you to talk with the councillor, I don't want them to say something nice. I want you to meet them and know them and get them number, and I want you to report them to me if they not answering your call. In a constituency like mine where you have almost 50,000 people, you have five councillors and five divisions," Fagan said.

Explaining that with most people who went to school in the 1950s-1970s when civics was taught, having an appreciation for the roles of Local government as against central government, he offered a crash course in the subject.

"So the councillors' responsibility is about your drains, your streetlights, garbage collection and things like that and, of course, he/she is the person who you can relate to about your problems and who takes me to task on your behalf. They come and cuss me and say the people want this to be done, so whatever money you can get through the Constituency Development Fund, please help me."

The MP then urged his audience to hold their councillors accountable. "I want you to report them to me if they not answering your call. When they don't answer your calls, they make my life harder, because I can't always talk to, because there are times when I am out in the country and come in late night and wake up early and gone again," he said.

However, Fagan who still lives in the Edgewater division he represented as a councillor, urged the audience to still keep in touch with him while maintaining close ties with their councillors. He said: "These are your prime ministers. They are the ones you can touch, the closest persons to you in Government, and so you must relate to them, but I want you talk to me, too".