MONTEGO BAY, St James — Deputy mayor of Montego Bay Councillor Richard Vernon is convinced the time has come to strengthen the local government framework to provide much-needed teeth to municipal corporations.

Vernon, who was speaking during the sitting of the St James Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting last Thursday, was responding to concerns raised regarding the continued absence of the National Works Agency (NWA) at the corporation’s meeting.

The deputy mayor pointed out that there is currently no legislation which speaks to the different government agencies attending meetings of the local authority to provide updates on the happenings of the parish.

“This matter with the National Works Agency, I see as part of the many challenges that we have with local government. We depend much on coordination and not structure. We depend on respect and not the legislation that should provide for certain things to happen,” said Vernon.

The deputy mayor argued that the lack of legislation is seemingly playing a significant role in the NWA’s absence as the agency had reportedly said it is against their policy to attend the regular monthly meetings of municipal corporations across the country.

“You are talking about the National Works Agency not being aware of some issues within the municipality, not attending meetings, [but] they can’t be sanctioned for it… and if they don’t feel as if it is a part of their policy position to be here, then they are absent,” he said.

Pointing to Vision 2030, Vernon noted that should Jamaica attain the goals set out in its national development plan, there also needs to be some level of decentralisation.

“There are some people who don’t understand the value and the worth of local government, and they need to start rethinking, rescoping and readdressing the matter of local government,” Vernon said.

“You can’t do things without the people’s voice and we are the people’s voice locally. When people hear about decentralisation they start to make noise, as if it is something bad; it is not. It is a process which enables the central government to focus on more macroeconomic things and local governments to focus on things that affect our communities,” he added.

In his response, the mayor of Montego Bay Leeroy Williams said he, too, agrees that there is a need for the added legislation to ensure full participation and collaboration from State agencies.

“I do believe that under the local government reform, there needs to be certain legislation. Having agencies attending committee meetings is not legislated and that is why we are having this problem with the National Works Agency. I think the time is right to have the necessary legislation so that we can have these persons attending our meetings, said Mayor Williams.

However, Councillor Kerry Thomas (People’s National Party, Mount Salem Division) told the meeting that the strengthening of local government will require more than just attending meetings. He believes that more control of the decision-making process is needed.

“I support the deputy’s position of strengthening local government. It is one that I fundamentally believe in and I think it goes beyond attending committee meetings. I think the local government needs greater control over what happens in the parish. The truth of the matter is that all of the agencies’ heads are in Kingston, and we in the west, the tourism capital, have no control,” said the councillor.