Tensions in KSAMC Between Mayor and his Deputy

Mayor of Kingston, Andrew Swaby, has accused his deputy, Councillor Delroy Williams, of being unable to accept the fact that the opposition PNP is now in charge of the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation, KSAMC.

Mayor Swaby made the argument in a recent statement to the media.

He was reacting to concerns raised by Councillor Williams about the composition of committees in the KSAMC.

Mahiri Stewart has more in this report.

In a lengthy media release, Mayor Swaby accuses his deputy of disrespecting the office of the mayor, bypassing protocol, and disregarding formalities.

Swaby says it appears Williams is having a hard time accepting that the People’s National Party, PNP, is now in charge of the municipal corporation.

The Jamaica Labour Party lost control of the KSAMC following February’s local government elections.

While both parties won 20 of the 40 divisions up for grabs across the city and its suburbs, the PNP won the right to elect the mayor by virtue of its success in the popular vote.

Both parties have failed to come to a consensus on the composition of committees in light of the even split of divisions.

Mayor Swaby says he’s unaware of any specific legal governing how to populate committees when there’s an equal number of councillors in the council.

He says Councillor Williams has presented a distorted view of efforts to name the committees. He says suggestions that his actions contravene legal or established norms are misleading.

According to Mayor Swaby, the KSAMC has never faced a 20-20 tie. 

He says Councillor Williams’ assertions that the committee compositions do not reflect the electoral results of February 26 ignore what he says is the undeniable fact that the PNP controls the council.

He says that reality should be recognised regardless of Williams’ personal acceptance.

Swaby says the suggestion that reducing the number of JLP councillors on a committee will reduce transparency is baseless and illogical.

He says what undermined transparency and accountability was Williams’ administration’s failure to accept resolutions from the minority caucus, their refusal to answer questions from the group, and their outright avoidance of meetings to discuss or consider resolutions related to building and planning.

Swaby describes Williams’ approach as a distortion of the facts.

He says this does not serve the public interest and fails to uphold transparency and accountability.