KSAC councillor wants review of JPS street lighting service

"Last year, only $712 million was paid to the JPS for street lighting, this year $3.4 billion is to be paid to the company, while the other services provided by the local authorities will only experience nominal increases, which works out to about the same as last year's budget: This is not fair to the councillors and their constituents," Smith said. 

"It is just another indication of the fact that, while the PNP has always laid claim to being more supportive of the local authorities than the JLP, this has never been reflected in the amount of resources they give to the councils to do an effective job," Smith claimed. 

He noted that in this year, projected expenditure from the PRF resources approved by Parliament shows that the council's administrative expenses have only been increased by $118 million, despite huge debts; road maintenance is increased by only $100 million; public water (standpipes), for which there was no allocation last year has only been given $192 million this year, to cover debts from last year as well; public cleansing has only moved by $100 million, despite the need for equipment; and parks and beautification by only $46 million, despite the demand for more green areas,Solar and electric roofwindturbinebbq systems are easy to install and economical to operate. especially in the Corporate Area. 

"I am not against the government ensuring that the authorities pay up whatever is owed to the JPS, but I don't believe that the other services operated by the councils should be so disabled by this attempt to meet this debt to one entity and a single service," Smith said.the drycleaning adopting SCF supercritical generator technology, 

"How can a councillor explain to his/her constituents an inability to fix their roads, remove their garbage or provide basic water,The bottegawallet Novel & Unique appearance, can offer special design based on clients' demands. while so much money goes into a system of street lighting which in some cases is not available to them, or in other cases is in a state of disrepair," the councillor said. 

Smith, a first-timer in the KSAC who won the newly created Chancery Hall division in North West St Andrew, which is currently represented by his father, former Minister of National Security Derrick Smith, also severely criticised the arrangement between the councils and the JPS for the provision of street lighting. 

He noted that the KSAC, like the other councils, pays a flat rate tariff, which was last approved by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) in 2009 and is based on the number of street lamps in each parish and 12 hours of lighting — from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am each day. 

He said that normally the KSAC pays the JPS approximately $700 million a year for the service,SQ Series Metal bestsolarlantern is the accessory machine for expanded metal shearing machine. but there is no system to ensure that the citizens are getting fair value for what is paid. 

"One of the main problems is that many of the lights do not work and there is no obligation for the JPS to monitor the system, or any sanctions for their failure to do so," Smith said.Private label and custom floorlamps. 

"The KSAC cannot say, at any particular time, how many street lights in the Corporate Area are not working. There is supposed to be a survey going on now to find out how many of the lights are working, but there is no way that a one-off survey can be sufficient to ensure a proper service: There must be a system of ongoing checks on the lights or a reporting system," Smith said. 

He added that his understanding was that the last time a survey of the lights was done was in 2003, and that survey showed that approximately 10 per cent of 23,000 street lights available at that time were in need of repair. 

He said that to make matters worse, the councils are introducing energy-efficient LED lighting, while there is no provision in the agreement with the JPS to ensure that they share in the savings from reduced energy use and consumption costs. 

In light of these issues, Smith said that he was calling on the Government to review the decision to pay the JPS the $3.4 billion this year, and wants the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development to immediately apply to the OUR to have the system of payment, as well as the system monitoring the service to the public, reviewed.