THE JAMAICA Labour Party councillors at the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) missed a wonderful opportunity on Tuesday to demonstrate their commitment to good governance and transparency in their actions.
The fact that a resolution calling on the municipality to post its contracts above $120,000 on its website was brought by Angela Brown-Burke of the People's National Party should be immaterial. Her intention might have been entirely aimed at embarrassing her political opponents who have been questioned about expenditure in recent months - after all, she has been in the council for many years and, apparently, has not been as persuaded to see great transparency in the council's affairs - until now. But conversions on the road to Damascus are not peculiar to the apostle Paul. So her intervention should have been welcomed. The councillors on the opposite side of the divide may have been cynical about Mrs. Brown-Burke's motives, but they missed the boat.
The country is clamouring for good governance, transparency and an end to corruption in public affairs. So they could have taken the lead and demonstrated their own commitment to these principles and, in the process, demand the same of central government. To suggest that central government should take the initiative in this regard would leave persons to think that the JLP councillors have an interest in keeping information from the public.
For years, parish councils, including the KSAC, have been seen as the first round of the feeding trough for political henchmen and activists. Contracts are often awarded to persons and companies with no track record or demonstrated competence in the specific area to do the job. More often than not shoddy work is done and the taxpayer is left to pick up the tab to have it done again. Of even greater concern is that jobs are awarded to people because of their political allegiance and not primarily because they have proffered the best tender or proposal. The stench from the National Solid Waste Management Authority still lingers.
The councillors are correct in suggesting that what is being demanded of them should apply equally to central government. There really is no need, however, for them to wait on others to lead the way. They should show how it can be done. That is assuming that there is a commitment to transparency in the management of the council's affairs.
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