KINGSTON, Jamaica — People’s National Party (PNP) Vice-President Angela Brown Burke on Wednesday called for a new streetlight arrangement with the Jamaica Public Service.

Brown Burke, who is also the mayor of Kingston, made the call during the first of two Local Government Debates between the PNP and the governing Jamaica Labour Party ahead of parish council elections scheduled for November 28.

Brown Burke in response to a question posed by the Jamaica Observer’s representative on the panel of questioners, Kimone Francis, admitted that streetlights have always been a “vexed issue”.

With streetlights being one of the issues coming under the purview of local government, Francis asked: “There are more than 100,000 streetlights and preliminary audits done indicate that, at any one time, at least 20 per cent are not working. But, the arrangement with JPS is that whether or not these streetlights are working, JPS still gets paid by taxpayers’ money. Why should people vote?”

Browne Burke admitted that the issue of streetlights is always one of the first points raised in discussions with community members.

“We need a new arrangement because the councils have responsibilities for streetlights. The current construct includes a discussion primarily between the minister and JPS, without the local authorities there,” Brown Burke said, adding that local authorities need to be part of the discussion.

In fact, Brown Burke, who chairs the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC), said she moved a resolution for the situation to be clarified which has so far resulted in JPS responding to the KSAC saying that they are willing and ready to discuss how the situation can be adjusted.

However, Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie, in the JLP rebuttal, placed the blame squarely at the feet of the previous PNP Administration. 

He pointed out that the previous minister entered into an agreement with JPS that has given the light and power company “total monopoly” in regard to streetlights.

McKenzie said the country is now being held at “ransom” because of that arrangement.

The minister also noted that the total number of streetlights in the country is not known.

He said a daylight audit was done which initially put the number at 109,000, but added that the number was later reduced to 99,000.

Both parties squared off on local government policy in the first of the two session debate. The second session will be held on November 23.

The PNP was represented by Brown Burke, incumbent councillor for the Royal Flat Division Donovan Mitchell and Fisher, while the JLP was represented by McKenzie, councillor candidate for the Spanish Town Division Keneisha Allen and former Montego Bay mayor, Charles Sinclair.