Swaby defends leadership of KSAMC

Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby delivering his statements and announcements during the monthly meeting of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation in downtown Kingston on Tuesday. (Photo: Naphtali Junior) MAYOR of Kingston Andrew Swaby has scoffed at the criticism of his leadership by Councillor Rohan Hall (Jamaica Labour Party, Red Hills Division). What began as a smooth resumption of monthly meetings for the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) after a brief summer break abruptly shifted during Swaby’s routine announcements. He used that moment to address Hall’s letter to the Jamaica Observer which was published under the headline ‘Leadership is about results, not excuses’. In his letter Hall critiqued the current KSAMC leadership, trustworthiness, and commitment to delivering the needs of the city and its residents. “Now, councillors, I am willing to accept criticism, whether it comes from within this corporation or outside it, but I am inclined to view with some caution a letter on leadership and results from someone who rarely presents when the actual work of this council is being done. And it’s a testament today,” said Swaby, as he pointed to Hall’s absence from Tuesday’s meeting. “It is difficult to take serious accuracy of the corporation’s performance from a councillor who does not consistently attend committees or leaves before these issues are being discussed,” chided Swaby. The People’s National Party (PNP) side of the council erupted, chanting “shame” and “empty barrel” as the mayor continued to address Hall’s criticisms. Swaby defended his decision to highlight the shortcomings of the previous JLP-led Administration of the KSAMC, as he argued that he was not using facts as an excuse, but rather to provide the public with truth and context. “I suspect, councillors that some people would prefer that I say nothing about the condition in which this Administration found the corporation. They would rather the people of Kingston and St Andrew not know about the poor governance, financial mismanagement, and other shortcomings we inherited,” said Swaby. He argued that the shortcomings he found when he took over the KSAMC were many with the most significant being a $400-million inherited debt, which should have been paid in general bills and retention fees. “They would rather not discuss the decision, such as the approximately $40 million spent by the previous Administration to construct 40 shops at the Jubilee Market, after the UDC [Urban Development Corporation] had rehabilitated the market and handed it over to the KSAMC. That amounts to approximately $1 million per shop. “We have to ask whether this is for the best use of $40 million, or whether this space could have been used to accommodate significantly more vendors and create greater opportunities,” added the mayor. Swaby reiterated that in order to fairly assess the performance of the current Administration, Hall and other critics must be willing to acknowledge how the corporation was managed before he assumed office. According to Swaby, he will continue to explore practical long-term measures to better serve the members of the KSAMC, citing the need for significant upgrades to the corporation’s building, which, he says, has become a hazard due to severe deterioration. “We therefore have to seriously consider the future of our facilities and what is required to provide our employees with a safe and suitable working environment. At the same time, we must examine how the corporation can operate more efficiently. “As I said, energy costs are a significant expense, and we need to explore practical long-term measures to reduce those costs, including the installation of solar systems and other energy saving measures. These are the issues that deserve our attention, not simply what happened before we took office but what we are going to do now to put the corporate in a stronger footing and improve the services we provide,” said Swaby. In relation to questions posed by Hall about the use of the KSAMC’s Special Grants Recovery (SGR) funds, Swaby said a response will be provided by its next monthly meeting. Hall had argued that protocols governing access to the SGR were relaxed following the impact of Hurricane Melissa last October, allowing local authorities immediate access to funds to address urgent needs within their respective divisions. He called on Swaby to provide a detailed account of how the money has been spent since the arrangement took effect in November 2025.