People's National Party councillor for the Trafalgar division in St. Andrew, Julian Robinson, is proposing financial autonomy for parish councils to generate their own funding for critical projects.

Mr. Robinson, citing the need for a new car park in New Kingston to ease the traffic gridlock, said if financial autonomy were given to parish councils, the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) could float a bond or impose taxes to raise the more than $300 million needed to construct another parking facility in the area.

Speaking yesterday at a Gleaner Editors' Forum, Mr. Robinson said under the current system, the councils depend on money from road licences and property taxes to work on various projects. "We want to go further so a council can be autonomous, it can impose levy, to do its own activities."

He said at present the civic association of New Kingston was lobbying the KSAC for additional parking areas in New Kingston, arguing that it was the council's responsibility to provide the facility.

Jamaica Labour Party candidate for the Greater Portmore East division, Raymond Green, is also pushing for greater autonomy in local government, adding that local government should complement central government.

He contended that the practice for central government to get involved in the work that should be carried out by local authorities should come to an end.