Delroy R. Dobney - St. Catherine South JLP

DR. KEVIN BLAKE...
An extraordinary public servant who has made his mark on the Jamaica Constabulary Force under the sterling leadership of Dr. Andrew Holness Prime Minister EXTRAORDINAIRE of Jamaica 🇯🇲 Land We Love.

RENAMING & REBRANDING our folklore "Mad House", from "Bellevue" to JAMAICA CARES-MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL (JCMHH)

Let’s make it happen: Beyond “Bellevue,” Honouring Care, Dropping the Folk‑Stigma

In Jamaican yards and taxi‑stand banter, “Bellevue” still lands like a punchline—synonymous with “mad house.” That shorthand comes from folklore’s love of labels: just as we warn children about duppies or the Rolling Calf to mark danger, we’ve let a hospital’s old name mark people as other. The facility itself tells a different story.

Founded in 1861 as the Jamaica Lunatic Asylum, renamed Bellevue in 1946, the 50‑acre Windward Road campus is the Caribbean’s largest psychiatric hospital. Since its 2010 re‑organisation it has cut long‑stay admissions, upgraded wards, added dental and dietetics units, and shifted to rapid rehab and community reintegration—exactly the Ministry of Health’s de‑institutionalisation plan. Patients now average weeks, not decades, and staff run outreach that treats mental health as part of everyday psychosocial life, not a hidden curse.

But the name drags the old asylum ghost. Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton recently said, “Bellevue…is, in and of itself, a stigma” and is pushing a rename as part of the hospital’s redevelopment into a 100‑bed acute mental‑wellness centre.

A new name can do what Anansi tales do—reframe the narrative. Instead of a folk warning, it becomes a signpost for healing. Suggestions floated include “Hope & Wellness Hospital” or *“Mindspring Mental Health Institute,” titles that foreground recovery, not confinement.

Renaming won’t erase resource gaps overnight, but it removes a linguistic barrier that keeps families from seeking help. When a mother can say, “My son is at the Wellness Institute,” rather than whisper “Bellevue,” she’s already beating the stigma folklore reinforced.

Bellevue’s staff, history, and 400‑plus beds are assets Jamaica needs. Let’s keep the care, the land, the programmes—and retire the nickname that folklore turned into a slur.
A mental‑health‑center name will signal that we treat minds with science, dignity, and without fear.

Let's lend our support as we add value to the collective will of a resilient Jamaica, impacting mental health care in a renamed and rebranded facility... I am proposing the new name to be, Jamaica Cares-Mental Health Hospital. (JCMHH).

EMPOWERING PARISHES... Empowering Jamaica: Unlocking Local Governance for a Transformative Future.

Jamaica's future shines brightest when its parishes thrive. The JLP's track record of driving growth, improving public services, and fostering citizen engagement positions us perfectly to lead this charge. By fusing central government efficiency with empowered local governance, we unlock a powerful force, through citizen-led transformation.

IMPROVED LOCAL GOVERNANCE
- Better Services: Parish councils deliver what communities need most to enable
- Faster Growth: Local economic initiatives drive jobs and prosperity
- Stronger Accountability: Leaders answer directly to locals
- JLP's Vision Amplified: Aligning local action with national goals for maximum impact by partnering with Citizens' Associations, Neighbourhood Watch Groups, and the Social Development Commission, we turbocharge this transformation. We need local governance that LISTENS, RESPONDS, and DELIVERS for every Jamaican.

COLLABORATION...
Let's harness this power to transform Jamaica, parish by parish. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and future generations to get local governance right.

Let's work TOGETHER to make Jamaica a nation where every parish is a hub of growth, accountability, and opportunity.

BRIEF HISTORY
of Local Gov't in Jamaica
Post-independence, Jamaica's local government system aimed to drive development parish-by-parish. While progress was made, challenges in capacity, funding, and engagement limited impact. Revitalizing local governance can reignite this potential.

The VALUE OF LOCAL GOVERNANCE:
-Responsive Decision-Making: Policies tailored to local needs:-
-Citizen Participation: Communities drive their own development
-Accountability:
Leaders answer to local constituents
-Innovation:
Parishes can pilot innovative solutions

5-YEAR PHASED... Implementation Plan (2025-2029)

-Year 1 (2025): Foundation - Assess capacity, train councillors, launch engagement platforms
-Year 2 (2026): Engagement & Partnerships - Devolve functions, partner with local groups
-Year 3 (2027): Decentralization & Funding - Enhance revenue, improve delivery
-Year 4 (2028):
Scale-Up - Expand projects, strengthen accountability
-Year 5 (2029): Consolidation & Impact - Embed governance culture, drive development

IMPACT OUTCOMES: Enhanced citizen engagement, improved service delivery, and accelerated local economic growth across Jamaica's parishes.

We can continue to truly when wide-scale collaboration is sought after and attained through improved human resource capacities, improved outcomes measured against strategic visions...Vision 2030 from a Jamaican perspective.

"Efficiency is Relative...Let's Dare to be Effective in Impact"
DRDobney