This day in our past

Gleaner Archives

1959: A new building technique which will revolutionise the construction of houses, particularly in the lower price ranges, and bring costs down considerably, is spoken of in the House of Representatives by Minister of Housing and Social Welfare Glendon Logan. The technique, which consists of the manufacture of reinforced concrete panels at a factory for assembly on the building site, is to be used in the construction of 850 houses on a site at Pembroke Hall, under a scheme which is approved by the House of Representatives.

1959: An increase of £1.5 million in the amount which the Jamaica Government is authorised to borrow by the issue of Treasury Bills is made by the House of Representatives on the motion of Minister of Finance Vernon Arnett. Approval of the motion raises the limit of outstanding bills from £3.5 million to £5 million.

1967: Use of atomic power in Jamaica to provide for greater industrial expansion and especially to make possible the manufacture of aluminium in the island is seen as a distinct possibility in 10 years’ time. A committee which studied Jamaica’s needs in the field of electricity makes the finding.

969: The People’s National Party’s East Central St Andrew Constituency organi-sation stages a “placard-bearing demonstration” in sections of the constituency protesting the delay by the JLP Government in calling a by-election to fill the seat made vacant by the resignation of Norman Manley, former leader of the Opposition, in the House of Representatives.

1973: The water situation in the Corporate Area remains at “crisis level”, a Water Commission spokesman discloses. The situation is getting worse each day and there is a strong possibility that, if there is no rain in the next few days, water will have to be rationed.

1979: A total of 35,000 people are “completely destitute”, having only the clothes they are wearing, as a result of the floods which devastate much of western Jamaica. This is disclosed by Minister of National Security Dudley Thompson when he speaks of disaster at a meeting with foreign diplomats and representatives of international organisations at Jamaica House.

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