Vernon cracks down on political paraphernalia in St James
Published:Tuesday | April 1, 2025 | 1:19 AMRochelle Clayton/Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon is calling on electoral candidates to remove all political campaign material from the streets of St James by the end of this week or face hefty penalties, noting that the municipal authority has not given any approval for such displays.
Event promoters with outdated signs still erected are also to face sanctions.
Speaking with The Gleaner on Monday, Vernon said the St James Municipal Corporation will be removing all election paraphernalia being publicly displayed across the parish, noting that all unauthorised campaign materials will be treated equally, regardless of each candidate’s party.
Each sign or poster left after the permitted time could attract a fine of $10,000, with a $3,000 penalty for each flag.
“I am encouraging all potential political candidates advertising their interest in the upcoming general election to remove all political paraphernalia from the public space by the end of this week, as no approval was granted by the local authority. The St James Municipal Corporation will remove them and bill the responsible persons, starting next Monday, if they fail to remove them. Similarly, all expired event signs will be treated accordingly,” said Vernon.
While many of the signs, banners and posters on display are for prospective candidates in the upcoming polls, there are several that were erected by candidates of the two major political parties ahead of the local government polls more than a year ago.
Vernon said he was “issuing the warning to all [and] not singling out anyone in particular”.
“Not because they are up makes it right to add more or legitimise the process,” the mayor reasoned.
Vernon’s comments come after Arthur Lynch, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor for the Montego Bay South East Division, called on Senator Janice Allen, the People’s National Party’s prospective candidate for the St James Central constituency, to remove the election paraphernalia posted in the division he represents.
“She need fi understand that when it comes to St James, we nuh deal with the loitering and littering of the place. You are not supposed to be putting up any political paraphernalia unless you are a candidate; and as we stand right now, you are not a candidate of St James Central. Tek dem dung! Gwan go tek dem dung,” Lynch said as he addressed the JLP’s St James Central Workers Conference at the Montego Bay High School on Sunday.
When contacted on Monday for a response, Allen told The Gleaner that if her campaign materials are removed, all other political posters on St James’ streets should also be removed.
“Well, all across Jamaica, we have seen political paraphernalia; and, in fact, for an entire four years, we’ve seen political paraphernalia for MP (Member of Parliament) [Marlene] Malahoo Forte. If it is that all political paraphernalia are to be removed, then all political paraphernalia ought to be removed. It should be [for] everybody,” said Allen.
Vernon told The Gleaner last year, shortly after assuming office as mayor, that removing the electoral paraphernalia was part of his larger aim to clean up Montego Bay. He also hinted at intentions to improve billboard maintenance and management throughout the municipality.