CLARENDON, Jamaica — Tempers reached a boiling point during Thursday’s sitting of the Clarendon Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting when the matter of councillors’ pay was raised.

The local representatives vociferously voiced concern that they were yet to see an announced salary hike and retroactive payments reflected in their bank accounts. They also complained that the new compensation package has caused discrepancies and anomalies. Their verbal protests hit fever pitch when Chief Executive Officer Rowhan Blake read a letter from the Ministry of Finance, which was forwarded to the Ministry of Local Government, regarding travelling allowance for councillors.

Scean Barnswell (PNP, Hayes Division) then called for Winston Maragh, the mayor of May Pen and president of the Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica (ALGAJ), to make good on a promise he made three months ago.

“You made it clear that any councillor who received a raw deal— your words— you would pack your bags and go. You made that comment three months ago and today we have not been able to receive the new salary that was approved for councillors and we have not been told why we cannot receive the new salary. The MPs would have received their new salary and retro and councillors are yet to be told when the new salary will be paid to them. My understanding, Mr Chairman, is that other corporations went ahead and paid the new salaries to councillors,” said Barnswell.

“I’m still wondering why ALGAJ, which has overarching responsibility for councillors, cannot say to us, ‘Members, there is a challenge. We have no money or the ministry of finance didn’t send the money come.’ So it leaves me to wonder if the $112 billion that the ministry of finance quoted to deal with this exercise, is it that the councillors were not calculated in it? If that is so, we need to be told. Because there was a grandstanding in Parliament, figures were announced and when you do your calculations you are back to square one,” he argued.

Barnswell continued, “We need to know if it is that the council don’t have the money to pay or is it that Ministry of Finance didn’t send the money… I think you have dropped the ball in representing us and I think your tenure has come under scrutiny again!”

Barnswell who is also minority leader, said he wants ALGAJ to hold an annual general meeting so that Maragh can be replaced.

Maragh sought to provide an explanation but was soon cut-off midway as Barnswell rose on a point of order. The chairman attempted to deny him the opportunity but an adamant Barnswell said it was his right to make his point.

“You cannot tell me no! You need to hear what that point of order is before you tell me no, you cannot tell me no! I am saying your point is misleading!” Barnswell argued before the meeting descended into chaos.

Eventually Maragh managed to get a word in and reported that the costing was done and submitted.

“All municipal corporations were asked to submit the same and [it was] submitted to the ministry of local government. It is our understanding that a response was provided by the ministry of local government and it was submitted to the Ministry of Finance for retro payments and we are now awaiting the go-ahead from the Ministry of Finance to pay the retro and increases,” the ALGAJ head and mayor said.