KSAC to review parochial fund allocation
THE Finance Committee of the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) is to hastily convene a meeting of the Bipartisan Committee to discuss claims by the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) that there are disparities in the disbursal of the Parochial Revenue Fund (PRF).
Vernon McLeod, chairman of the Finance Committee, on Thursday called for an urgent meeting of the bipartisan committee. This call comes after the PNP Councillor Angella Brown-Burke (Norman Gardens Division) told the meeting that PNP councillors were concerned that 38 per cent of the Roads Repair expenditure from the PRF for the 2006-March 2007 financial year to date was spent in five divisions represented by Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillors.
According to Brown-Burke, five divisions received $30,990,023 of the total $78,178,778.00 Roads Repair expenditure from the PRF in all the 40 KSAC divisions.
The five divisions which Brown-Burke said had received the ‘lion’s share’ of the PRF are:
. the Barbican division represented by JLP Councillor Joy Cotterel, which has received $7,559,500 to date;
. Tivoli Gardens represented by Mayor Desmond McKenzie, which got $7,094,323;
. Havendale division JLP Councillor Vernon McLeod, $6,833,150;
. Rosalee Hamilton, Rae Town, 5,291,500; and
. Denham Town JLP Councillor Lorna Leslie, $4,211,550.
However, McLeod said that the Bipartisan Committee should meet and discuss the matter.
“I have heard the concerns and what I would recommend is that the Bipartisan Committee meet post-haste to review the issue and for us to get back on track. It is difficult for me to answer any questions as to why…… All of us get on very well and I think that we should assemble,” McLeod said.
The Bipartisan Committee was established to look at how funds would be allocated after the minority PNP councillors raised concerns about inequities in the disbursement of the PRF.
Brown-Burke told the Observer that the Bipartisan Committee would ensure that in the programmes undertaken by the council “there was transparency and equity”. She said the committee had decided that the programmes should have certain criteria and follow guidelines. PRF spending was to have a particular formula, she said.
But Brown-Burke admitted that the bipartisan committee has not met regularly.
Meanwhile, McLeod said that the Finance Committee would adopt Brown-Burke’s suggestion for each division to be provided with a quarterly detailed statement of the total expenditure in each division.