Corruption at KSAMC

 

If the new Mayor of Kingston, Andrew Swaby carries through on half of the promises he has made to residents of Westlake Avenue in Richmond Park, it will not only be a breath of fresh air in that it would indicate that he is serious about maintaining law and order at the municipality, but also  a signal that he is not corrupt like many who have preceded him there!

To jog your memory, residents in that section of the beleaguered community of Richmond Park, protested in late July, against a commercial operation which had started construction of a site there, to establish a car dealership in their community.

As a result of the residents’ action, on the 31^st July 2025, the KSAMC, issued a stop order against the miscreant.

The commercialization of residential areas, foremost in places such as Richmond Park, Eastwood Park and Bedford Park, has been a long-standing problem for home owners in those areas.

 And regardless of who has led the KSAC, (by any other name!) nothing has been done to stop the illegal practice so far.

It is not that home owners  in these areas are bad minded or even anti-capitalist, but the irrefutable fact is that commercial activity in residential areas, causes the property value to depreciate.

It also causes great discomfort for the home owners as it  destroys the roads and leads to increases the incidence of crime. For the roads in residential areas were never built sturdy enough to withstand the ravages of commercial traffic and when businesses set up in an area, it is impossible for even the most vigilant residents or even community monitoring groups, to keep an eye on those coming in an out, hence crime inevitably increases.

I am speaking as one who had to live with that problem for decades despite the numerous complaints to KSAC, demonstrations etc. For as the first operator to destroy our area said when we told him he would have to cease and desist, “money talk”.

And because money talks and corruption has always been rampant at KSAC, not only has that business prospered untouched for many decades, but also, others seeing that they could get away with it, also moved in until we were totally overwhelmed.

At Bedford Park, added to the problem that corruption enabled, (and most likely sections of Eastwood Park and Richmond Park as well), there was also the political element. For lo and behold, one of the main law breakers was a close friend of one of our prime minister’s, who was a frequent visitor to parties at his premises.

So, the destruction of our once quiet residential area, escalated.

I am therefore watching with interest to see if Mayor Andrew Swaby will just be another political blower of hot air, or if the laws will finally be enforced by the KSAMC, so the residents of Westlake Avenue and other residential areas can finally achieve their rights to the peaceful enjoyment of their homes.

Only time will tell if its only bribes that can drive action's at the KSAMC or if under Andrew Swaby, it will be the laws that do.

Corrupt KSAMC, Jamaica

Every time I see a headline like the one below, I seethe at how corrupt that organization once known as KSAC, but now called KSAMC, is.

The headline in the Gleaner of April 24, 2022, said; "KSAMC clamps down on popular gym, restaurant," and the report began; "A gym and restaurant at 7 Hillcrest Avenue in St Andrew are to be closed by July 31 in a case of illegal development brought by the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) against the operators and property owner. "

While one would love to think the KSAMC is finally acting in the interest of residents, an appreciation of the address, is a good reminder of what motivates that corrupt organization. 

Money.

You see, Hillcrest Avenue is considered an up-town area and better yet, it is very close to Jamaica House.

Have you ever seen the KSAC acceding to the requests of residents in non-uptown areas to close down commercial operators that are destroying their residential areas? 

Never.

And it's not that people living in less affluent areas who strived to buy a home had/have not been appealing to that local authority to enforce the laws dealing with illegal operators in their residential communities.

Nor have they been making reports out of malice but because commercial activity destroys residential roads and leads to an increase in crime.

The fact is, there have always been different standards of construction for commercial and residential roads in the city. For whereas roads in commercial areas are built sturdier to handle a higher level of traffic activity including heavily laden vehicles, roads in residential areas aren't.

So, when a residential area becomes commercialized, the first thing to go is the roads, which the Local Authority does not maintain under the best circumstances anyway.

Then there is the increase in the level of crime.

 For when an area is residential, people tend to know each other and are more vigilant when they see strangers around. However, when the community becomes commercialized, the ability to monitor who is coming in and going out, quickly disappears.

Travel into places like Richmond Park, Bedford Park and Eastwood Park and see how the neighborhoods have deteriorated under the KSAC's (KSAMC's) watch!

So, what has happened to the homeowners who have for decades had to watch their property values decrease and standard of living degraded, because of the commercial activity, you may very well ask.

After decades of bringing the illegal activity which is destroying their environment to the attention of KSAC Councilors, the relevant Members of Parliaments and at times even the Ombudsman, (whose office is described by the Jamaica Information Service as "An Institution Protecting the Rights of Citizens), those who can afford to move, do, while others have to live with the destruction.

The fact is, in a corrupt society like Jamaica, the only thing that can determine the rights of a citizen is money.

For you must have lots of money to bribe the politicians and heads of institutions in Jamaica, to have the laws enforced or to look the other way.

How can I ever forget the illegal operator in our community who flatly declared many decades ago that; "Money talk and bullshit walk."

He still operates in the community and has even expanded his operations, although the intrusion has been reported to every councilor, Member of Parliament, Mayor and even Ombudsman over several decades. While he prospered, many other illegal commercial operators have also joined him.

 So, metaphorically, the residents have indeed been reduced to walking as the road surfaces disappeared right under their feet and crime overwhelms the community!

So yes, the residents at Hillcrest Avenue will get protection for that is a wealthy area and as they say, "Money talks.........."