Inherited $400 million debt strains Kingston municipal services, chairman says

Kingston, Jamaica – The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) is grappling with a significant financial burden, facing over $400 million in outstanding bills left by the previous administration, according to KSAMC Chairman Andrew Swaby.

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When we took office, it is excess of $400 million that was left of outstanding bill that Delroy Williams and his friends left for us to hug up. Of that amount, $164 million is still outstanding and I will tell you say some of the general bills that he left can go back to 2021.

Swaby stated that upon taking office, his administration inherited this substantial debt, with $164 million still outstanding. He noted that some of these general bills date back to 2021, hindering the council's capacity to address current priorities, particularly road repairs and service delivery to residents.

"Having had to pay those bills, I can’t get to fix roads that are so important to you at the pace that we want to fix it," Swaby explained during a divisional conference. He also criticized the previous mayor, Delroy Williams, and his associates, highlighting that the business community struggled for years to gain an audience with him, suggesting a lack of engagement and focus on administrative duties.

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I want you to understand, having had to pay those bills, I can’t get to fix roads that are so important to you at the pace that we want to fix it.

Despite the inherited financial challenges, Swaby asserted that the KSAMC has made efforts to improve services. He mentioned an increase in the divisional allocation fund and the execution of improvement projects at several markets in the Corporate Area, indicating a commitment to progress despite the fiscal constraints.

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I’m not going to let them forget, and I won’t let them forget that the business community couldn’t even get audience with the mayor for years. They had no faith in him because them try and try and try and what he was doing, he was partying when he should be talking to all the stakeholders.