Local government then and now
Published:Thursday | September 4, 2025 | 3:27 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
The story of local government in Jamaica is a mirror of our nation’s search for balanced authority and meaningful participation. From the earliest vestry system introduced by the English in the 1660s, through the parish councils of the late 19th and 20th centuries, to today’s municipal corporations, local government has stood as the arena where ordinary Jamaicans most directly interact with governance.
After the Morant Bay Rebellion of 1865, Crown Colony rule stripped the vestries of much power. By 1886, elected parish councils were restored and given responsibility for roads, markets, sanitation, and poor relief. For decades, parish councils became the training ground of civic leadership, a space where communities could advocate, organise, and deliver services in ways that reflected their local priorities.
This system endured into the post-Independence period and, by the 1970s, parish councils were central to rural development. They maintained roads, managed infirmaries, oversaw local water supply, and raised revenues from rates and licences. They were imperfect, underfunded, and sometimes politicised, but they were undeniably close to the people.
CROSSROADS
The 1980s marked a sharp turning point. The Seaga administration, seeking efficiency and control, shifted many functions from parish councils to central agencies. The Jamaica Fire Brigade, the National Solid Waste Management Authority, and other entities were placed firmly under Kingston’s direction. In the process, local government was “virtually dismantled”. Parish councils became shadows of their former selves, existing without the authority, budget, or personnel to shape parish development in meaningful ways.
Reform efforts in the 1990s and 2000s brought some restoration. The 2015 constitutional amendment gave local government permanent recognition, and the 2016 Local Governance Act and companion laws clarified responsibilities and financing. Today’s municipal corporations can make by-laws, manage parochial roads, markets, and poor relief, and coordinate with central agencies. Yet, they remain heavily dependent on transfers from the Parochial Revenue Fund, and continue to lack the full portfolio of functions once vested in parish councils.
This leaves us at a crossroads. Local government is stronger than in the dark days of the 1980s, but still not as robust as in its pre-1984 prime. If we are serious about empowering citizens, about balanced growth across parishes, and about competitive local development, we must give municipalities back the full authority to plan, execute, and fund services.
I therefore challenge the incoming new government administration: let us restore the pre-1980s governance authority of local government. Let every parish become a centre of innovation, accountability, and progress. Jamaica will be stronger when our communities are strong.
DUDLEY MCLEAN II