Montague

The Ministry of Local Government is to evolve into a regulatory body within two years under the new Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration's plans for local government reform.

Speaking in an interview with The Gleaner in London, new junior with responsibility for local government, Robert Montague, said: "It is our view that the ministry as it is would be downgraded to be a monitoring agency because we are trying to strengthen the local authorities so that they can improve service delivery".

Mr. Montague appears to be on a mission to see through meaningful local government reform. He argues that over the last three decades there has been a seemingly perpetual debate about restructuring the local government system with almost a dozen reports submitted but no action taken.

Now, the Bruce Golding-led JLP administration wants to implement. Mr. Montague said there was broad agreement on 95 per cent of the recommendations and that was where he would focus his energies. Discussion on the remaining issues (the direct election of mayors perhaps being the main one) over which there is disagreement will continue. If there is no consensus the Government will make a political decision.

That process, according to Mr. Montague, is expected to take about 24 months at the end of which the Ministry of Local Government will cease to exist as we know it and a new monitoring agency will emerge to take its place.