Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for Works,  Robert Nesta Morgan, says the recent decision by the Mayor of the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation to increase Divisional Allocation Fund provisions confirms that he can do more to address parish council roads.

The KSAMC has announced that allocations will move from $10 million to $13 million for urban divisions and to $13.5 million for rural divisions.

Minister Morgan said the development exposes the hypocrisy in the Mayor’s repeated complaints about road funding, while the Corporation has had the authority to increase support to divisions.

“The Mayor cannot continue to lament the condition of roads while failing to fully use the resources and authority available to the KSAMC. This recent increase confirms that the Corporation can do more for parish council roads, drains, mitigation works and emergency interventions. He has more money than his predecessor but has not fulfilled the commitment he made before becoming Mayor,” Minister Morgan said.

He noted that the National Works Agency continues to bear a significant burden in responding to and fixing roads that fall under municipal responsibility.

Minister Morgan said the Government remains willing to collaborate with the KSAMC in the interest of citizens, but the Corporation must use its increased allocations to repair and maintain the roads under its control.

“We are prepared to work with the KSAMC, but collaboration cannot mean central Government carries the burden while municipal resources are not properly prioritised. The KSAMC must use its increased allocations to fix its roads,” he said.

As background, Minister Morgan noted that in 2020, the Mayor, then serving as a Councillor, seconded a resolution calling for increased allocations to divisions from the Parochial Revenue Fund to address roads and drains.

“He understood the importance of divisional allocations then. The question is why it has taken this long for the same urgency to be reflected in the Corporation’s own decisions,” Minister Morgan added.

Minister Morgan said residents of Kingston and St. Andrew deserve transparency on how municipal road funds are allocated, which roads are prioritised, and when works will be done.

“No one knows how these funds are spent. Jamaicans deserve to know,” Minister Morgan said.