THE KINGSTON and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) end-of-year meeting yesterday was the scene of another fiery debate.
This, as councillors argued over a resolution calling for the KSAC to begin posting on its website, information on contracts it enters into which value more than $120,000.
The resolution was put forward by People's National Party (PNP) councillor, Angela Brown-Burke. She said that by posting the information on the website, the KSAC would be taking a great step to enhance transparency and facilitating accountability.
"This would also allow the KSAC to get feedback from the public. It is a good way to put myths about our operations as councillors to rest," she said.
SUSPICIOUS OF COUNCILLORS
Mrs. Brown-Burke noted that many persons are suspicious of councillors and suggested that by posting the information on the KSAC website, the public would be more at ease.
But the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillors would have none of it, arguing that if transparency is really to be enhanced, a campaign needed to be launched at a higher level.
A vote was taken and the resolution was defeated.
Yesterday's was the final council meeting for the year. Kingston Mayor Desmond McKenzie said 2005 had been a challenging year, but insisted that there was a general consensus that the KSAC had done its best.
The mayor added that this Christmas season was expected to be a busy one for downtown Kingston. He said a shuttle service, introduced last year, would be reintroduced in the town on December 19.
"Persons are being asked to park their cars at the UDC (Urban Development Corporation) car park and we will provide a shuttle service from there throughout the downtown commercial area and back," he said.
