Portmore councillors accuse Gov’t of ‘political victimisation’
Citing inadequate funding, MP Miller rubbishes allegations; willing to deal with audit
Published:Friday | December 22, 2023 | 12:06 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
The Portmore Municipal Corporation has demanded an audit into the utilisation of funds allocated for dengue mitigation through the removal of bulky waste in St Catherine South East.
Councillor Fenley Douglas, who raised the issue during a general meeting, accused Member of Parliament Robert Miller of receiving five million dollars from government coffers and noting that there has been little progress in waste removal across the constituency.
Douglas, supported by Edgewater councillor Alrick Campbell, Bridgeport councillor Kenard Grant and councillor for the Westchester division, Renair Benjamin, allege that non-elected party operatives, favouring the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), were selectively chosen for the cleanup efforts. Independence City councillor, Courtney Edwards, who is the minority leader, did not comment on the issue.
Douglas presented pictures and a voice note as evidence, claiming political victimisation and tribalistic practices in the allocation of work.
“Last week a bulky waste cleanup was carried out in the community, and a text message was sent to JLP operatives only to put out their bulky waste and not People’s National Party (PNP) supporters,” Douglas revealed during the meeting.
He continued: “Not Social Development Commission, not community organisations, not citizens’ associations but an unelected party operative. I didn’t know that a caretaker could spend government money. Chairman, I am demanding that an audit be conducted into the spending of these funds.”
Douglas further accused Miller of diverting funds meant for small business start-ups away from PNP supporters, emphasising the need for a thorough audit.
In response, MP Robert Miller dismissed the allegations as “political mischief-making” and expressed his willingness to undergo an audit.
“What the councillors want me to do is give them government money to spend, but I will not do it, I will not allow my name and my character to be drawn into the mud,” Miller resolutely proclaimed.
He then clarified that the allocated funds, $2 million, channelled through the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), were managed transparently.
“The money that was allocated to the constituency is two million dollars through the NSWMA, and they get their contractor to do the work,” Miller explained.
Funds divided equally
He detailed that the funds were divided equally among the five divisions after deducting the agency’s fee.
Miller acknowledged the challenge of completing the cleanup with limited funds, stating, “When you divide $1.7 million for five divisions, the most loads you can take out is 10, and we have the receipts to show.”
He confirmed the involvement of both JLP and PNP supporters in the cleanup efforts and the existence of the voice note, admitting that the Bridgeport division’s JLP standard-bearer for the upcoming local government election, Dwayne Ebanks, had to pay for 10 of the 20 loads of bulky waste coming out of the division from his own resources.
Miller then highlighted the need for an additional three million dollars to adequately address the bulky waste issue in all five divisions.
Amid tensions, the municipal council took the decision to engage relevant government entities for a comprehensive audit, reflecting the growing concerns surrounding the allocation and utilisation of public funds in the St Catherine South East constituency.