Kingston mayor says KSAMC losing money covering central government expenses

Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby says the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) has been forced to fund salary expenses that are the responsibility of the central Government, leaving a burden on the already cash-strapped municipal corporation.

“For the last three years, the subventions from central Government for salaries have been below what is required. This shortfall has placed even more pressure on our budget,” argued Swaby, as he addressed Tuesday’s final monthly meeting of the corporation for 2025.

“The Government often boasts about the public sector reclassification and the higher salaries that came with it, but they are not sending the KSAMC the full funds needed to honour those very increases,” he said, claiming the same issue is affecting other municipalities as well.

“But this state of affairs is unacceptable,” he charged.

Swaby said the shortfall has left the corporation to carry costs that ought to be covered by the central Government, and, according to him, each year the gap increases, forcing the local government body to pull resources from other obligations, including bills the KSAMC has to pay.

“While we continue to meet our obligations, it has not been easy, and it is important they come to understand this strain. Even with mounting pressures, we have been tightening our cost-control measures,” he said, listing overtime for employees as one of the areas addressed.

- Corey Robinson

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