THE MAYOR of Portmore, Mr. George Lee, has apparently set his face like flint against his detractors, in a determined move to rid the sprawling St. Catherine community of illegally-mounted billboards and posters.
As reported in yesterday's Gleaner, the Mayor, supported by other agencies began a campaign on Tuesday to remove what were identified as illegal billboards.
While we support the general aims and thrust of the Mayor and his team in this venture, we urge that the project be approached with particular care to avoid the conflict that has arisen in the Corporate Area over who has jurisdiction over roads. For several months, the National Works Agency and the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation have been at loggerheads over who has the final say in granting permission for, among other things, the mounting or removal of advertising signs on public property.
The Solicitor-General, Mr. Michael Hylton reported last week that he has forwarded his advice on this matter to the Government. Regrettably, the public has not yet heard what his legal opinion or recommendation is on the matter. It is well past the time for this issue to be settled and we urge the Government to state its position clearly and quickly, based on the legal advice it has obtained. In the meantime, business operators are already agitating for compensation for the destruction of the signs which they had paid to have mounted, citing prior approval from one public/state organisation.
The administrators of the Portmore Municipality which is placed in a peculiar situation of being a council within a council - there being a St. Catherine Parish Council - should be mindful of their powers and limits under the law.
The reality is, business places, private property and publicly-owned open spaces right across Jamaica have been marred by the ad hoc placement of posters, banners and billboards. In some instances, approval has been granted; in others none was sought or obtained. The need for order in these matters rests in a clear understanding of what is permissible under the Town and Country Planning Act and penalties applicable under the Anti-Litter Act, and for both to be rigorously enforced where applicable.
Mayor Lee should be guided by whatever powers available to him in a new municipality which would have inherited elements of past neglect. He and his team need to temper their zeal with wisdom even as they move to make a municipal model of Portmore.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
