About Us

            Our Parish Development Committee is a partnership of stakeholders in the Parish committed to providing a mechanism for coordinating the planning, implementing and monitoring processes at the parish level within the context of the national development vision and policy of Jamaica. The Manchester Parish Development Committee (MPDC) is a partnership between the Manchester Parish Council, the private sector, the public sector, civil society and service clubs. It provides a forum for stakeholders and partners to come together to facilitate participation in Community and Parish Sustainable Development planning. For many years our people have realized that the only way forward is through unity.

         However, the challenge has been to identify a vehicle powerful enough to transcend political divisiveness, personal agenda and the stigma of our past. The Ministry of Local Government addressed this challenge and in August 1993, tabled in parliament a paper that began the Local Government Reform Process. One major goal of this process sought to enhance civil society's participation in governance. In February of 1999, the Ministry of Local Government proposed to stakeholders in the pilot parishes of Manchester and St. James, the concept of the Parish Development Committee.

         This represented the first real opportunity to engage all stakeholders in the planning process. Today, the Manchester PDC reflects an organization properly rooted in the hands of its citizens. In an effort to broaden civil society's involvement, Development Area Committees are being formed across the Parish. Every citizen will have the opportunity to participate in these Development Areas through their Community Based Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations or private sector groups.