JAMAICA| Local Governance Crisis - PNP Councillors Challenge ALGAJ's Irregularities

Kingston, Jamaica. January 31, 2025: In a dramatic turn of events that laid bare the soul of local governance, the Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica (ALGAJ) Annual General Meeting collapsed into disarray amid accusations of constitutional violations and procedural manipulation. 

The People's National Party (PNP) Caucus of Councillors has launched a scathing critique of ALGAJ President Councillor Winston Maragh's handling of the proceedings, which ended abruptly after multiple breaches of established protocols were exposed.

The meeting's integrity was called into question from its very inception, with President Aspirant Councillor Scean Barnswell of the Hayes Division in Clarendon spearheading the challenge. 

"The constitutional foundations of our organization were ignored from the start," Barnswell asserted, pointing to critical violations of Appendix 2, Section 5 of the ALGAJ Constitution, which mandates a one-third quorum of membership. 

The controversy deepened when it emerged that the meeting's agenda had failed to meet the five-day advance notice requirement stipulated in Section 6.

In what observers describe as a particularly troubling development, President Maragh attempted to steamroll through these constitutional requirements, dismissing calls for proper quorum verification and agenda restructuring. 

The situation reached a boiling point when councillors demanded the presentation of financial reports – conspicuously absent since 2017 – only to have their requests summarily dismissed through a procedural motion.

"This isn't merely about paperwork – it's about seven years of financial opacity that demands explanation," Councillor Barnswell emphasized, his words cutting to the heart of the controversy. 

"To attempt to suppress this discussion is not just unreasonable; it's a betrayal of our fundamental responsibilities to transparency."

The meeting's descent into chaos accelerated when Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) members attempted to fast-track the election of officers by calling for the suspension of standing orders. 

This maneuver met fierce resistance from PNP councillors, who stood firm in their insistence on proper procedural adherence. Adding to the irregularities, eyebrows were raised over the presence of President Maragh's wife at the registration table – a clear breach of organizational boundaries given her non-member status.

In a move to rectify these governance failures, the PNP Caucus has called for significant reforms to the electoral process. 

"The Social Development Commission's involvement in conducting elections is inadequate for an organization of our stature," Barnswell stated, advocating for the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) to oversee future electoral proceedings to ensure unimpeachable fairness.

The Caucus has issued a clarion call for an urgent reconvening of the AGM, emphasizing that this time, the meeting must be conducted with unwavering adherence to both the letter and spirit of the ALGAJ Constitution and General Rules. 

Their message is clear: the soul of local government lies in its commitment to transparency, accountability, and effective governance – principles they refuse to see compromised.

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