Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby has bemoaned the non-existence of a parish development committee which, he said, will prevent the setting up of a local public accounts committee to keep an eye on how the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) spends public funds.

Mayor Swaby expressed the concern on Tuesday during the KSAMC’s council meeting for the month of September at the corporation’s office on Church Street in downtown, Kingston.

“As mayor, I have decided to push forward something in the interim, a simple advisory committee for the KSAMC. This committee will do the job of what the local public accounts committee was supposed to do. It will focus on making sure that we are open, accountable and managing the money we receive and spend in a proper way. The idea is based on the Local Governance Act of 2016 which states that every city should have an advisory committee,” he said.

“The committee will be made up of people from the community, civil society, private sector and other groups who will come together to ensure that we run things right,” the mayor explained.

“The advisory committee will ensure that the concerns of the residents and stakeholders are heard and addressed in a timely manner. It will give them a real say in how our city grows and develops, strengthen our local demography and make sure that all the voices are represented in our institutions. We have to ensure that we are transparent in whatever we do and that the people we serve are included. Together we will move forward in a way that benefits everyone,” he added.