Only 17 of 40 KSAMC councillors submit documents for $250,000 hurricane grant

A revelation that only 17 of 40 councillors at the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) have submitted the required documents to receive a $250,000 hurricane grant was the subject of much ire following Tuesday’s meeting.

Robert Hill, chief executive officer (CEO) and town clerk for the KSAMC, made the announcement shortly before the meeting’s adjournment.

“The request was given post-haste from the time I got it from the Ministry of Local Government from the permanent secretary. I am therefore stymied in my ability to make the submission to the Ministry because we are running terribly late with the submissions,” he said.

Hill noted that he has until Friday, November 14 to make the submission, otherwise the KSAMC will be "given significant problems trying to negotiate with the Ministry of Local Government."

He further explained that all 40 councillors need to make their submission before the grant can be disbursed, a stipulation that People's National Party Councillor for the Allman Town division, Charmaine Daniels, deemed unfair.

“The thing is same way like how MP (Member of Parliament) can send over and it can submit, a same way councillor money must submit so that responsible councillors dem who mek dem submission can get to assist people in their division,” she said.

“Mi vex because my MP nah give mi nothing fi help my people, so when mi submit my own, I wah my people fi get it because when mi nuh get it mi haffi find ways and means, mi haffi out deh a whole saucer fi help my people,” she added.

John Myers, the Jamaica Labour Party councillor for the Lawrence Tavern division, was most irate.

Councillor a get $250,000 and dem doh wah sign up di something? It is bad, and I am going to tell di Prime Minister, I am upset man!,” he declared.

While Kingston and St Andrew were spared the worst of Hurricane Melissa, the Category 5 storm did cause landslides, fallen trees, power outages and loss of roofs in rural areas, including Lawrence Tavern.

Meanwhile, Karl Blake, councillor for the Greenwich Town division, stressed the need for other councillors to submit the required documents.

“For those persons who might not have submitted, dem mussi rich and have it, (but) rue mi haffi deal with the poor people and di elderly dem weh mi see suffer during the hurricane,” he said.

- Sashana Small

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.