Swaby criticises local gov’t minister comments on $600m monthly road fund allocation
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kingston Mayor and Chairman of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), Andrew Swaby, has challenged comments made by Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie regarding the monthly allocation of approximately $600 million to municipal corporations for road repairs.
Speaking at the handover ceremony for grants under the Clean-Up and Restoration Initiative in St James on Friday, McKenzie said all municipal authorities, whether controlled by the People’s National Party (PNP) or the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), receive a share of between $600 million and $700 million each month from the Ministry of Finance.
“Roughly every month, the local authorities, whether they are a PNP or JLP controlled, local authorities get an amount. We get around $600 or $700 million on a monthly basis from the Ministry of Finance, which is shared up, not by me as the minister, but it is done on the number of roads in each parish,” McKenzie said.
Swaby, however, is calling for greater transparency about the allocation, arguing that McKenzie’s remarks could leave the impression that each municipal corporation receives $600 million monthly.
According to the mayor, the KSAMC receives approximately $85 million each month for road repairs, which must be shared among its 40 councillors.
“Don’t talk about $600 million each month like a one local authority to get it. The KSAMC gets roughly $85 million a month,” Swaby said. “I am challenging Desmond McKenzie and any JLP minister to tell me if the average of 85 million I get each month can solve the problem of roads in Kingston and St Andrews. I want him to answer me directly.”
Swaby made the remarks while addressing PNP Councillor Sarah Marshall’s divisional conference at the constituency office of PNP President Mark Golding on Sunday.
The mayor also expressed reservations about the Government’s proposed One Road Authority, arguing that while the initiative has potential benefits, it is not a complete solution to the capital’s road infrastructure challenges.
“They want me to say that the One Road Authority is the answer for all our road problems. I’m not going to say so. It has benefits. When I talk about keeping, make sure when they are building a road, they’re building it after a certain thing. Yes, it has. But I don’t believe that the NWA (National Works Agency) should be the One Road Authority. It should not be far from the closest organisation to you which is the local authority,” Swaby added.
