KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kingston Mayor and Chairman of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), Andrew Swaby, has challenged comments made by Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie regarding the monthly allocation of approximately $600 million to municipal corporations for road repairs.

Speaking at the handover ceremony for grants under the Clean-Up and Restoration Initiative in St James on Friday, McKenzie said all municipal authorities, whether controlled by the People’s National Party (PNP) or the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), receive a share of between $600 million and $700 million each month from the Ministry of Finance.

“Roughly every month, the local authorities, whether they are a PNP or JLP controlled, local authorities get an amount. We get around $600 or $700 million on a monthly basis from the Ministry of Finance, which is shared up, not by me as the minister, but it is done on the number of roads in each parish,” McKenzie said.