Dear Editor,

Public office is not a stage for political theatre, it is a position of trust, responsibility, and accountability. The people of Kingston and St Andrew do not want a mayor who engages in a perpetual blame game or seeks to score political points on social media. They want a leader to manage the affairs of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), safeguard public funds, and deliver meaningful improvements to the lives of the people.

Unfortunately, public discourse has become increasingly consumed by political rhetoric while many residents continue to grapple with the same long-standing problems, such as deteriorating roads, blocked drains, poor infrastructure, flooding, inadequate maintenance of public spaces, and communities waiting years for basic improvements. Citizens are growing weary of explanations, they are demanding execution.

Leadership is measured by outcomes, not by excuses. Every Administration inherits challenges. That is the nature of government. No mayor assumes office in a municipality free of problems. Roads require rehabilitation, drains require cleaning, retaining walls require construction, gullies require maintenance, parks require upgrades, and markets require investment. The question is not whether problems existed before taking office, the real question is: What has been done since assuming office to solve them?

Too often, public statements focus on identifying who is responsible for the current state of affairs instead of demonstrating what has been achieved with the authority and resources now entrusted to the council. While historical context has its place, residents cannot drive on explanations. They cannot walk safely on political speeches, and they cannot prevent flooding with social media posts.

Governance requires action. The mayor’s primary responsibility is not to convince citizens why roads are in poor condition; it is to repair them. His responsibility is not to assign blame; it is to lead.

One of the cornerstones of democratic governance is accountability. Public officials are custodians, not owners, of taxpayers’ money. Every dollar allocated to a municipal corporation represents the hard-earned contributions of Jamaican citizens; consequently, every expenditure should withstand public scrutiny.

The public should not be left guessing. Residents should not have to rely on press conferences or social media updates to determine how public resources are being utilised. They should have access to comprehensive information showing exactly where taxpayers’ money has gone and what benefits have been delivered. Mayor of Kingston and St Andrew Andrew Swaby should, therefore, publish a detailed report identifying every infrastructure project funded through these allocations.

Unfortunately, transparency often appears to take a back seat to political messaging. Instead of showcasing comprehensive financial reports, residents are presented with political commentary about previous administrations. While political supporters may find satisfaction in these exchanges, ordinary citizens are far more concerned about whether their roads are passable, drains have been cleaned before the next rainfall, and public funds are being managed efficiently.

Politics should never replace governance. In every election campaign, promises are made, communities are visited, hands are shaken, and commitments are given. Citizens are assured that infrastructure will improve, roads will be repaired, and neglected communities will finally receive attention. Those promises should not disappear once public office is secured.

Mayor Swaby now has both the authority and the responsibility to demonstrate measurable progress. Kingston and St Andrew deserve leadership that communicates through results rather than rhetoric. If substantial sums have indeed been allocated for infrastructure, then residents should be able to identify those investments in their communities. They should see roads resurfaced, drains properly maintained, sidewalks repaired, gullies reinforced, parks upgraded, and public facilities improved.

Instead, many residents continue asking a simple question: Where has the money gone? This is not an attack, it is a legitimate question.

Indeed, transparency protects honest public officials. When detailed expenditure reports are published regularly, misinformation is reduced, speculation disappears, and citizens can evaluate performance using facts instead of political narratives. Many governments across the world routinely publish project dashboards showing project locations, contractor information, expenditure, completion percentages, photographs, and timelines. Such information is often available online for anyone to examine.

Equally concerning is the growing tendency for political leaders to spend valuable time engaging in public disputes while urgent municipal issues continue demanding attention. Flood mitigation cannot wait; road rehabilitation cannot wait; drain maintenance cannot wait; garbage collection cannot wait; and community infrastructure cannot wait.

Residents do not measure the success of a municipal administration by the number of political statements issued, they measure success by the condition of their communities.

Every pothole left unrepaired increases vehicle maintenance costs; every blocked drain increases flood risks; every neglected public facility diminishes community pride; every delayed infrastructure project affects businesses, commuters, schoolchildren, emergency services, and economic activity. These are not political issues, they are governance issues. The mayor must, therefore, focus less on defending political narratives and more on demonstrating administrative competence.

There should also be greater emphasis on monitoring contractors to ensure value for money. Too often, infrastructure projects across Jamaica suffer from delays, poor workmanship, cost overruns, or premature deterioration. Taxpayers deserve assurance that every contract awarded by the KSAMC is subject to proper oversight and rigorous quality control.

A newly rehabilitated road should not begin deteriorating after a few months, and a cleaned drain should not immediately return to its previous condition because maintenance was neglected. Infrastructure investment should produce lasting improvements rather than temporary appearances. This requires strong project management, competent engineering oversight, and continuous monitoring.

The residents of Kingston and St Andrew deserve better. They are not asking for miracles, they are asking for competent administration, transparent governance, and responsible stewardship of public resources. They deserve a council that spends less time looking backward and more time building forward.

It is time to replace excuses with execution, rhetoric with results, and politics with performance.

Rohan A Hall

Jamaica Labour Party councillor

Red Hills Division

max-rohan@hotmail.com