THIS DAY IN OUR PAST

The following events took place on May 15 in the years identified:

1969 The government hopes to be able to begin introduction of local government reforms by 1970-71, Minister of Local Government Leopold Lynch indicates. He is delivering his Budget speech in the House of Representatives when he refers to the subject. Lynch says a consultant (former Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) Commissioner Milton Rodriques) has been assigned to prepare a report on local government reforms. The consultant’s report will deal with, among other matters, the general question of the financing of local government authorities to replace the present arrangements. In preparing his report, he will have access to all other available reports on the subject, including the Brownstone Report and the recent report by the Association of Local Government Authorities.

1969 A big crop of onions is currently being reaped by vegetable growers in three different parishes, especially by those who have finally mastered the techniques of production in sizes and volumes to make commercial propositions. Since mid-April, growers in St Thomas, St Catherine and St Elizabeth, especially, have been supplying supermarkets, hotels, catering establishments and the bigger retail markets all over the island with tons of this vegetable. So heavy have been supplies, the Agricultural Marketing Corporation reports having bought over 150 tons from growers since mid-April and being able to hold some of these stocks against the time when the present crops run off.