Dear Editor,

Quite recently, the mayor of Kingston, Dr Angela Brown Burke, publicly questioned on television whether it was the case that the police raids carried out against some parish councils were politically motivated or not. Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie has since forcefully stated in Parliament that the police will go to any parish council where corruption and misappropriation takes place and when reported to the police.

I fully support Minister McKenzie in this regard, and those raided parish councils must be comprehensively investigated and public servants involved in fraud should be prosecuted, where warranted, and face the full force of the law.

There have been allegations of widespread corruption throughout the local government system and it is my view that all the parish councils should be formally audited and the results made public for this involves taxpayers’ monies.

I urge the fearless, no-nonsense and pragmatic-thinking Minister McKenzie to implement full local government reform, including entrenching local government in the Jamaican Constitution: giving parish councils the authority to collect and dispose of garbage and the management of each parish garbage disposal site; allowing motor vehicle licensing fees and property taxes to go directly to parish councils; upgrading the salaries of councillors, deputy mayors and mayors; among other areas.

The number of parish councillors should be reduced to approximately 126. It is fundamentally imperative that the minister holds each parish council responsible for its conduct; ensuring that each council conforms to the relevant public procurement rules and guidelines.

We need value for money from all the country’s parish councils.

Specifically in my area, the Montego Bay Charles Gordon Municipal Market needs a complete renovation, the North Gully in Montego Bay needs to be regularly cleaned and maintained as well as the drains and manholes across the streets of the city, and the Bryon Leslie Fish Market located on Orange Street is in a deplorable state and requires immediate action from Mayor Glendon Harris. St James’ property tax compliance rate needs to be increased to at least 85 per cent, a cardinal priority for the mayor and St James Parish Council. Also, Montego Bay needs an expanded municipal transportation facility to accommodate the over 4,000 taxis and buses operating in and around Montego Bay.

Robert Dalley, Esq

Montego Bay, St James

robertdalley@outlook.com