Chaos at ALGAJ meeting leaves ‘huge stain’ on local government
Published:Monday | February 3, 2025 | 5:09 PMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
Desmond McKenzie, minister of local government and community development, has condemned what he labelled the “chaos” that took place during yesterday’s annual general meeting (AGM) of the Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica (ALGAJ) which, he said, resulted in injuries being inflicted on the association’s president, Winston Maragh, and the premature termination of the meeting.
“This is a day of total disgrace in the life of local government,” McKenzie said in a statement. “I am calling out the behaviour of councillors, who deliberately disrupted the meeting at the point where the elections for the executive of ALGAJ were to take place. That disruption deteriorated into total chaos, with councillors swarming the podium, and the ALGAJ president suffering the indignity of having the microphone twisted out of his hand, injuring him in the process. This disgraceful series of events was played out in front of a range of invited guests including members of the media.”
Ahead of McKenzie’s statement, the People’s National Party (PNP) Caucus of Councillors expressed deep concern and disappointment over the abrupt halt to the AGM after raising concerns over what they said were breaches of procedural rules and constitutional requirements.
According to Scean Barnswell, councillor for the Hayes division in Clarendon and aspirant for the ALGA presidency, the meeting was convened without adherence to critical constitutional guidelines.
One of the major concerns highlighted was the failure to verify a quorum before proceeding.
As outlined in Appendix 2, Section 5 of the ALGAJ constitution, at least one-third of the membership must be present to constitute a quorum.
The PNP councillors also claimed that the agenda was neither shared in a timely manner nor properly structured, violating Section 2, 6 of the constitution, which mandates that a copy of the agenda be sent to each councillor and authority at least five days ahead of the meeting.
“Despite these concerns being raised, Councillor Maragh [councillor for the Rocky Point division in Clarendon] proceeded with the meeting without verifying the quorum or amending the agenda to meet constitutional requirements,” Barnswell stated.
Financial report
Matters escalated further when the concerned councillors requested that the financial report – absent since 2017 – be included in the meeting’s discussions. Citing the importance of transparency, especially for newly elected councillors, they insisted that the financial report be presented. However, the chair moved a motion to bypass the discussion entirely.
Barnswell condemned the move, stating, “The matter of presenting the financial report was critical, considering the seven-year gap since the last AGM. It was unreasonable and irresponsible to seek to suppress this discussion.”
According to Barnswell, concerns were also raised about the inappropriate presence of Maragh’s wife, who is not a member of the organisation, conducting registration at the head table.
He said the meeting further descended into chaos when members of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) moved a motion to suspend standing orders and proceed directly with the election of officers. The motion was met with strong opposition from the PNP councillors, who insisted that the agenda be followed in accordance with the constitution.
With tensions escalating and procedural concerns unresolved, the meeting was ultimately brought to an abrupt halt, leaving major governance issues within ALGAJ unresolved.
Need for transparency
The PNP councillors have since called for adherence to constitutional principles in the administration of local government affairs, emphasising the need for transparency, proper procedure, and accountability in ALGAJ’s operations.
In his statement, McKenzie said the “desperate, reckless and callous behaviour” that took place at the AGM had placed a “huge stain” on the image of local government.
“This administration has worked extremely hard to elevate not only the resources given to local government but also the professional and ethical standards that this critical form of government must reflect,” he said. “I will not allow this shocking fall from grace to go unchecked. Accordingly, I will be meeting with the ALGAJ shortly. I also want to remind councillors that while they are elected on the tickets of their political parties, they have a responsibility to everyone in their divisions. I must also bring into public focus recent events and actions that are designed to undermine the practical impact, effectiveness and therefore the reputation of local government. None of this benefits the Jamaican people, and I am calling for an immediate restoration of order to the administration of public business at the local level.”