KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minority leader in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Council (KSAMC), Councillor Andrew Swaby, says the investigation by the municipal corporation into the reports, inspections, and approvals surrounding the construction of the multi-family residential development located at 11 Charlemont Drive, Kingston 6, has come a few years too late.

Heaping heavy criticism on the Mayor of Kingston, Delroy Williams on the matter, Swaby expressed disappointment in what he says is a lack of urgency on the mayor’s part to deal with issues within the municipality as they arise.

“These are issues that have dogged the KSAMC as far back as 2021. In 2022, the minority caucus identified some issues coming out of some court rulings and the public domain and we have our resolutions on the table to the KSAMC which the mayor refused to take,” he told Observer Online. “As a result we resigned from the Building and Planning Committee. Subsequent to that, we have pushed issues to how we believed we could have dealt with issues and he hasn’t taken them. The nonchalant approach from the mayor is quite disturbing.”

In January 2022, Swaby in a letter to Mayor Williams handed in his resignation citing a lack of integrity, transparency and efficacy with which the current administration is operating as reasons behind his decision to depart.

READ: PNP minority caucus resigns from KSAMC Building and Planning Committee

In his interview on Tuesday, Swaby said as far as he’s aware, the mayor is trying to “buy time” on the Charlemont Drive investigation.

“He just put out a release to say that they are doing an internal investigation. As far as I’m aware we should have been having the result of the internal investigations,” he said. “It is late..we are one or two years late on this one.”

On Friday, the KSAMC announced that it will be undertaking an internal investigation into the reports, inspections, and approvals surrounding the construction of the multi-family residential development located at 11 Charlemont Drive, Kingston 6.

“Among the matters being investigated is the variation between the reports regarding the findings of the officers of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the KSAMC,” the corporation said in a news release.

“Once these investigations are completed, the KSAMC will take all necessary and appropriate actions to ensure that the building and planning laws are enforced and adhered to,” KSAMC added.

READ: KSAMC probes Charlemont Drive residential development

Meanwhile, Swaby insists that the minority is willing to offer assistance to help the KSAMC address the urgent matters. He expressed that in addition to making sure more people are available for the committee, the KSAMC must ensure that all complaints are investigated so as to reassure the public the municipal corporation is working.