Kingston to get rid of wrecker service, building fee hike coming
Soon there will be no wrecker hauling away vehicles of indisciplined motorists who insist on parking in prohibited areas across Kingston and St Andrew, Mayor Delroy Williams has said as he intends to introduce a paid-parking system to increase parking spaces, along with a clamping system. He has also revealed that building fees will be hiked in the next financial year.
"Across the municipal corporations (parish councils), Kingston has the lowest building fees. We are really considering increasing the building fees to not the highest in the country, but somewhere in the middle because we're at the lowest," Williams revealed yesterday while addressing a luncheon hosted by the Rotary Club of Kingston.
"For the capital city, we can't be at the lowest and there are so many things to be done and those funds could be useful."
The municipal corporation charges $66 per square foot, while other parishes charge approximately $200 per square-foot, he said. The building and planning department is leading a review to determine a "reasonable" increase.
The mayor said the paid-parking system would reduce hassle for the city and improve the treatment of people.
"What paid parking would do for us is take away this wrecker, which is kind of strenuous and difficult for persons," he said.
"It's far better for us to introduce paid-parking, which increases parking spaces, especially in downtown. If you are parking illegally, we clamp you and there is somebody on spot, right tin the vicinity, so if you come and you are clamped, you pay a small fine, affordable and your car is released to you."
The system, he said, would be better "instead of you travelling all the way, looking for your car, then you find out it's at the KSAC, then you have to go there, go through the whole system to pay, and then go back to the pound. It's kind of, I wouldn't say undignifying, but we can find better ways to manage the city".