Scean Barnswell, Councillor for the Hayes division, criticised ALGAJ for the lack of communication about councillors' pay increase.
Scean Barnswell, Councillor for the Hayes division, criticised ALGAJ for the lack of communication about councillors' pay increase.
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Councillors Collin Henry, Scean Barnswell and ALGAJ chairman Winston Maragh
By Warren Bertram
Councillors in the Clarendon Municipal Corporation are bemoaning the delay in the payment of retroactive salaries.
During the recent meeting of the Clarendon Municipal Corporation, several councillors voiced their discontent with the non-payment of monies owed to them.
Collin Henry, Councillor for the Thompson Town division, said since the pay raise was announced, demands from residents of their divisions have also increased.
"The calling get louder even when you’re in your division because persons start to walk up to you now to say more demands. So I’m happy that councillors are really defending it and I join my councillor colleagues that the retro need to be paid," he said.
Scean Barnswell, Councillor for the Hayes division, chided the lack of communication from the Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica (ALGAJ) about the increases and information about other benefits the councillors are to receive.
"That’s a gross disrespect from the ALGA office that we are learning about this increase in salaries and other benefits through the media. I think that ALGA should have sent something out to councillors advising us of what is being said or what we should expect as it relates to our welfare benefits, and we are not hearing anything," he complained.
Mr. Barnswell levelled the criticism at the feet of ALGAJ chairman, Winston Maragh, asserting that he had "dropped the ball", causing confusion to take place.
In response to the concerns raised by the councillors, Mr. Maragh, who is also chairman of the Clarendon Municipal Corporation, said he has contacted the Finance Ministry about the delay in payment and is awaiting a response.
"I called yesterday and I called back this morning again to see if the letter came in this morning. It did not come," he told the councillors.
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