McKenzie condemns 'disgraceful' altercation at abandoned ALGAJ meeting
Published:Friday | January 31, 2025 | 6:03 PM
Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, is strongly condemning the chaos at today’s annual general meeting of the Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica (ALGAJ), that resulted in the injury of the association's president Winston Maragh and the premature termination of the meeting.
The meeting at the Golf View Hotel in Manchester ended in chaos this morning after People's National Party (PNP) councillors objected to the agenda and the commencement of voting before the scheduled 11 a.m. time.
“This is a day of total disgrace in the life of local government. 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," McKenzie said in a media release on Friday afternoon.
“This desperate, reckless and callous behaviour is a huge stain on the image of local government," he added, while stating "I will not allow this shocking fall from grace to go unchecked."
He said he 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," McKenzie said.
Today's AGM was the first since 2018.
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