Swaby Admits $2.7m Christmas Allocation to Divisions Without Councillors

Mayor of Kingston, Andrew Swaby, says $2.7 million were allocated to each municipal divisions without elected councillors.

This allocation was made during the Christmas period.

Mayor Swaby made the disclosure at the corporation’s monthly general meeting on Tuesday, where he denied allegations that funds from the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation, KSAMC, were distributed to People’s National Party, PNP, political representatives last December.

According to Mayor Swaby, the funds were not from the KSAMC or any other public source but were raised privately through PNP-led initiatives and efforts.

Mayor Swaby did not disclose this in his first media statement on the issue earlier on January 31.

According to Mayor Swaby, the law mandates that in the absence of a councillor, the mayor and chairman of the KSAMC are responsible for the division.

He says this includes overseeing the spending of monies allocated from the Divisional Allocation Fund.

Mayor Swaby says disbursements were made to the Denham Town, Olympic Gardens and Chancery Hall divisions.

Andrew Swaby, mayor of Kingston.