THIS DAY IN OUR PAST

The following events took place on March 9 in the years identified:

1962: The Legislative Council set a parliamentary precedent by passing a government measure before the House of Representatives had dealt with it.The measure was a resolution approving an Order made by Keble Munn, minister of agriculture and lands, declaring an area in Central Kingston a Development Area for the purposes of slum clearance and re-housing. The resolution provoked a short, sharp debate between Rudolph Burke, Minister without Portfolio, and Edwin Allen and Wycliffe Martin, both of whom declared it “an election exercise.”

1972: Prime Minister Michael Manley announced the names of the members of the Committee on Integrity, the chairman of which was Victor Blake. Members named were Douglas Fletcher, Rev. Father Roy Campbell, James Lim, Philip Sherlock, A.G.R. Byfield and Dr. Lloyd Barnett. The terms of reference of the committee were to make recommendations in respect of the principles which would govern legislation to deal with the integrity of Parliamentarians and more particularly, the declaration of their assets and income.

1972: The Executive Committee of the Jamaica Council of Churches at a meeting, agreed to offer assistance, as requested, in the amnesty campaign for the turning in of firearms being held illegally. The request for assistance was made to the Council by Prime Minister, Michael Manley, who felt that some of the holders of the weapons might be reluctant to turn them in themselves to the Police.