KSAMC Owes over $150M in Unpaid Water Bills

The Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation, KSAMC is drowning in debt to the National Water Commission, NWC.

Nationwide News has obtained documents suggesting the Municipal Corporation owes the NWC over $151 million in unpaid water bills.

A significant chunk of this mounting debt stems from the operations of the downtown market.

This revelation comes amid rising tensions between the PNP-led Municipal Corporation and the NWC over water quality concerns.

Mahiri Stewart reports.

The information obtained by Nationwide News represents the accounts of the various arms of the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation up to March this year.

At that time, the KSAMC has a balance owing to the National Water Commission, NWC, of $151 million.

According to the information obtained, zero payments have been made toward this debt across the KSAMC’s accounts.

The largest portion of the outstanding is charged to the various meters of the KSAMC Market on Pechon Street in Kingston.

The sum comes up to nearly $140 million.

This is followed by the Papine market at $3.5 million.

The Cross Roads Market closes out the top three with $2.4 million.

The KSAMC headquarters on Church Street also owes the NWC $1.3 million.

It’s uncertain over what period the debt has accumulated.

Calls to Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby went to voice.

Similarly, calls to the KSAMC’s CEO, Robert Hill, were also unsuccessful.

When contacted Deputy Mayor, Delroy Williams, suggested he was not best placed to answer questions regarding the state of the Corporation’s accounts.

He directed us to Mayor Swaby and CEO Hill.

On Tuesday, the KSAMC passed a resolution demanding answers regarding what the PNP Caucus deemed concerns over contamination of the water supply.

It’s a concern rejected by both the NWC and the Ministry of Health.

Deputy Mayor Williams also accused the PNP caucus of using the concern as a smoke screen to distract from what he sees as allegations of financial irregularities at the Corporation.

He also says Mayor Swaby has failed to submit a financial report for the last two quarters.