'The burden of public expectations'

THE FACES may be new after June 19, but the word from outgoing mayors is that the problems facing any new council will be the same as those which have dogged them for years.

In some instances these range from insufficient funding to sanitation and illegal street vending across the island.

Morant Bay Mayor, Owen Atkinson, told of a tenure which had been both 'interesting and challenging'.

At 72 years old, he says this has been his first and last term in office, as he will not seek re-election.

"There are too many young persons out there who are willing to offer themselves and are able to do a good job."

Still he will not be far away from the action as he intends to offer himself for service elsewhere.

"I won't be totally out of it anyway as I would still be busy working in the constituency," he said.

On the personal level Mayor Atkinson said that the irritations of the job had included a general attitude from the public which saw the council as "responsible for everything" and being ill-informed of the true role of the council.

"People expect more than we are able to deliver and I don't think they are aware that there are distinctions to even some of the things for which we have responsibility," he said.

Turning to the performance of the council over the period, Mayor Atkinson explained that while there had been advantages such as increases in property tax collection, the benefits were minimal.

"We have been able to increase collection but then grants have been reduced, so we have really not been able to catch up or see much improvement in the areas."

Still, he says, there has been success. Street vending he says has been eliminated altogether, while a thrust to bring the business of the council to the people has received much support from the communities.

He advises his successors to push for a closer relationship with their constituents.

"To ensure any measure of success the council will need to get the people involved... talk with them, level with the people."

A sore point for the parish he says has been widespread squatting which, if unchecked, should be a major challenge for any new council.

In St. Ann's Bay, outgoing Mayor Charles Tate saw antiquated policies and poor service delivery as challenges to any new council.

"One main problem for the council has to do with the municipal laws and the application of them. The council will also need to look seriously at service delivery for example with regard to parochial net roads, and building regulations. For example, there needs to be fewer cases of construction without approved plans.

"Politics-playing is another major problem, because that deters from the delivery of service," he says and agrees with Mayor Atkinson that the public's poor attitude to civic responsibilities is a major challenge.

"It's a question of getting people to understand that what we pay in (in taxes) is comparable to what we want. The truth is that of the population if 75 per cent were expected to contribute only 40 per cent are paying.

"The property taxes, for example is our main source of revenue to carry out two main functions ­ solid waste and street lighting. But right now this is seeing some 55 per cent returns, nowhere near where it is supposed to be. If we receive even 80 per cent we would have been able to satisfy those needs."

Mandeville's mayor, Horace Williams, with close to 17 years of community service under his belt looks forward to the June 19 election as he seeks a second term in office.

While he says the time has been "very rewarding" Mayor Williams says Manchester's new council will still have to grapple with the "question of autonomy".

"There has to be a defined role for the council," he said, "to the point where Government is even willing go beyond what is allotted now, (which is still not enough) and put aside resources for the council to do its work."

Mr. Williams suggested too that until "antiquated" laws are shed, councils will still be at a disadvantage. The traffic laws, and laws relating to the workings of pounds in the parish as well as those regulating the trade of hairdressers and barbers were two troublesome areas, he said.

"This affects us in terms of our generation of revenue."