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<span style="font-weight: bold">News Source: OTGNR - </span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : Portmore Municipal Council funds Councillors ' visa application ( RJR )...</span>
Questions are being raised about the use of public funds to acquire visas for two Councillors and two employees of the Portmore Municipal Council despite the four not making what was an official trip to London. According to information reaching RJR News, authorization was given for an advance of $155,000 from the Council's coffers to obtain visas for Councillor for the Hellshire Division, Leon Thomas and Councillor Alric Campbell of the Edgewater Division.Director of Corporate Services Courtney Campbell and Secretary to the Chief Manager of Administration, Janet Beale, were also facilitated. The four were to have joined Head of Delegation Portmore Mayor Keith Hinds; Chief Administration Manager, David Parkes and Director of Planning Andre Griffiths on what was a fact finding mission to the Cannock Chase Council in London between November 29 to December 6 trip.However despite applying for and eventually being granted visas, Councillors Campbell and Thomas as well as Mr. Campbell and Miss Beale did not make the trip.The move has reportedly drawn the ire of some local government personnel who have demanded an explanation.However Mayor Hinds has denied any wrongdoing.He says the delegation had responded to an invitation from the Commonwealth Office to attend a partnership exchange with a London-based Council, in regards to plans to develop the Port Henderson Road and several other Municipal locations."I had wanted to take a strategic planner and an urban planner. I believe the chief administrator manager thought it best that two urban planners went so Mr. Courtney Campbell was recommended to go even though Mr. Parkes was on the listing, other persons had interest to go and the council had two of them going but they had to pay their own way,""It is subsequent that the council forwarded their visa fees which they have in fact signed to repay to the council and my understanding is that those payments have started to come back to the council already," Mayor Hinds said.Mayor Hinds dismissed claims that the absentee Councillors and Municipal employees were only interested in securing long term visas.While it is unclear the reason for the non attendance of three of the individuals, our news centre learnt that Mr. Thomas was forced to change plans following the death of his mother.
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : Portmore Municipal Council funds Councillors ' visa application ( RJR )...</span>
Questions are being raised about the use of public funds to acquire visas for two Councillors and two employees of the Portmore Municipal Council despite the four not making what was an official trip to London. According to information reaching RJR News, authorization was given for an advance of $155,000 from the Council's coffers to obtain visas for Councillor for the Hellshire Division, Leon Thomas and Councillor Alric Campbell of the Edgewater Division.Director of Corporate Services Courtney Campbell and Secretary to the Chief Manager of Administration, Janet Beale, were also facilitated. The four were to have joined Head of Delegation Portmore Mayor Keith Hinds; Chief Administration Manager, David Parkes and Director of Planning Andre Griffiths on what was a fact finding mission to the Cannock Chase Council in London between November 29 to December 6 trip.However despite applying for and eventually being granted visas, Councillors Campbell and Thomas as well as Mr. Campbell and Miss Beale did not make the trip.The move has reportedly drawn the ire of some local government personnel who have demanded an explanation.However Mayor Hinds has denied any wrongdoing.He says the delegation had responded to an invitation from the Commonwealth Office to attend a partnership exchange with a London-based Council, in regards to plans to develop the Port Henderson Road and several other Municipal locations."I had wanted to take a strategic planner and an urban planner. I believe the chief administrator manager thought it best that two urban planners went so Mr. Courtney Campbell was recommended to go even though Mr. Parkes was on the listing, other persons had interest to go and the council had two of them going but they had to pay their own way,""It is subsequent that the council forwarded their visa fees which they have in fact signed to repay to the council and my understanding is that those payments have started to come back to the council already," Mayor Hinds said.Mayor Hinds dismissed claims that the absentee Councillors and Municipal employees were only interested in securing long term visas.While it is unclear the reason for the non attendance of three of the individuals, our news centre learnt that Mr. Thomas was forced to change plans following the death of his mother.