PNP local gov’t reps accuse ruling party of sabotage
Published:Saturday | November 25, 2023 | 12:09 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
Councillors aligned to the opposition People’s National Party (PNP) are alleging that the central government is encroaching on their responsibilities and starving them of resources to serve their divisions.
Fenley Douglas, chairman of the St Catherine Municipal Corporation’s Finance Committee, expressed disappointment in Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ decision to allocate $22 million to each member of parliament for constituency-based projects, including drain-cleaning, building retaining walls, and bushing and other projects between now and the end of the year.
Holness made the announcement in Parliament on Tuesday, adding that the programme will be implemented through the National Works Agency and the National Solid Waste Management Authority.
He also announced that $330 million would be made available to parliamentarians to spend on housing relief for poor constituents.
“The announcement the prime minister made comes as no surprise, especially with an election in the air. Over the past two years, everything that is funding for local government is going to parliamentarians or legislators only,” Douglas, the councillor for the Waterford division in Portmore, charged.
Highlighting the timing of the allocation during Local Government Month, Douglas said the move was aimed at diverting funds away from municipal corporations.
“Is this a ploy to dismantle local government or to bring it back to the days when we were only responsible for cemeteries?” he questioned, saying that councillors across the island were distressed by the trend, regardless of political affiliation.
He further expressed concern over the delay in disbursements to shore up the Parochial Revenue Fund (PRF), saying the situation was hindering councillors from effectively servicing their divisions.
Douglas said that the municipal corporation by-laws dictate that the PRF financing should be disbursed to each municipal corporation on the last working day of each month.
“We have just received August and September PRF, which means that we are behind, coming to the last working day for November when another is due,” Douglas noted.
STILL BEHIND
Carlton Daley, councillor for the Milk River division in Clarendon Municipal Corporation, told The Gleaner that councillors in that parish just received August’s PRF allocation, which means that they are out for September and October.
“We are left to wonder what is the real motive for central government circumventing the local authorities,” Douglas pondered, noting that substantial funds had already been allocated to MPs earlier this year for road maintenance, beautification, dengue mitigation, and solid waste management, and that none of these funds had reached municipal corporations.
“Most of these functions are traditionally municipal corporation functions and yet they are being diverted away from us,” he said.
The Gleaner was unable to reach Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie for comment despite several attempts.
However, May Pen Mayor Winston Maragh, who is also chairman of the Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica, does not agree with the notion that the role of municipal corporations is being diminished.
“What I would love to see is more funding coming to the municipal corporations to carry out some responsibilities that fall under our purview,” he admitted, however.