Senator Marlon Morgan, a member of the Jamaica Labour Party Communication Task Force, addresses a news conference called by the party at its headquarters in St Andrew on Monday. Beside him is Member of Parliament for St Andrew West Rural Juliet Cuthbert Flynn. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)
The governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) stepped up its pressure on Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby and leaders of the People’s National Party (PNP) on Monday, insisting that the mayor resign and demanding that the Opposition answers questions about questionable funding of political activity.
The JLP launched its latest attack at a press conference at its Belmont Road, St Andrew, headquarters at which Senator Marlon Morgan, a member of the JLP Communication Task Force; Member of Parliament (MP) for St Andrew West Rural Juliet Cuthbert Flynn; and Senator Abka Fitz-Henley came out guns blazing at Mayor Swaby, who chairs the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC); PNP President Mark Golding; and his General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell.
Senator Morgan said that, “[I]n light of conflicting statements issued by Mayor Swaby and leaked audio of conversations which have given rise to the PNP/KSAMC corruption scandal, the Jamaica Labour Party calls for the immediate resignation of Andrew Swaby as mayor of Kingston, chairman of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation and councillor for the Vineyard Town Division.”
Morgan said he has seen information in writing concerning a senior member of the KSAMC’s administrative team, on October 30, 2024 at 11:24 am, asking a PNP caretaker to ascertain the political affiliation of residents before approving assistance, work, and benefits to people in the Kingston Central constituency.
He further claimed that, on the aforementioned date, the member of the KSAMC team provided names and addresses of the people in Kingston Central who had asked for assistance and instructed the caretaker to “check dem out” and get back to her as soon as possible regarding whether they were PNP or JLP supporters.
“We do not believe that Swaby has any moral authority left and can be trusted to govern the affairs of the KSAMC in a fair, equitable, and transparent manner,” Morgan added.
Following the press conference, numerous attempts were made by the Jamaica Observer to contact Mayor Swaby for a response to the allegations, but his phone rang without answer.
In relation to Golding, Morgan suggested that the PNP president was trying to downplay the allegations surrounding the KSAMC as “an attempt to create a scandal where none exists”.
According to Morgan, he has received information that millions of dollars from the KSAMC were expended, including in several Kingston and St Andrew constituencies where some PNP caretakers are seeking to become Members of Parliament when the general election is held.
“In some cases, some PNP caretakers collected the monies themselves, and in other cases they sent agents and/or close associates. Therefore, we are not surprised by the bold statement made recently by Lawrence Rowe when he said the claim by Mayor Swaby that no KSAMC funds were expended to support the political representatives lacks credibility,” Morgan said.
Rowe was recently ousted by the PNP as caretaker for Kingston Central and replaced with retired Senior Superintendent of Police Steve McGregor. The decision by the PNP to replace Rowe led to him taking to various public platforms and making damning claims of corruption against the PNP and the KSAMC.
Morgan repeated allegations made in leaked voice notes said to be conversations between PNP officials and insisted that they contradict Swaby’s claim that “resources were distributed fairly and in a non-partisan manner”.
Morgan also described as “contemptuous of the Jamaican people, dismissive and downright disgraceful, but not altogether surprising” the PNP president’s response to “the KSAMC corruption scandal”.
“The response is a confirmation that Mark Golding is willing to turn a blind eye to seriously questionable activities at the PNP-controlled KSAMC… The unbecoming response from Mark Golding has again confirmed to Jamaica that he is not fit to lead this country,” Morgan said.
He said Golding must tell Jamaica whether he has demanded an explanation from a former PNP councillor why, in a leaked conversation, she told a then PNP caretaker to collect cash, and that the development is not for public knowledge…
“The PNP president clearly feels his party is able to do what it feels and get a free pass,” Morgan said.
Also at the press conference, Cuthbert Flynn posed a few questions to Swaby, Campbell, and Golding.
Cuthbert Flynn said she wanted to know if they were aware of a contractual arrangement between the KSAMC and a PNP political operative in St Andrew West Rural where she is sitting MP.
“Are they aware that, under the arrangement, cheques were disbursed and monies paid by the KSAMC on a monthly basis to the PNP political operative? Are they aware that the political operative has been encashing the cheques and passing the proceeds on to another PNP operative in St Andrew West Rural? I insist that Mark Golding, General Secretary Dayton Campbell, and Mayor Swaby tell the country whether they are aware of this arrangement and explain why these payments were being made,” Cuthbert Flynn said.
