‘Stay in your lane’

WESTERN BUREAU:

Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon has issued a firm rebuttal to recent criticism of his administration and the city, suggesting that the negative commentary is politically motivated and damaging to the efforts of ordinary residents. Though he did not mention any individual by name, Vernon’s remarks at Thursday’s monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation were clearly aimed at critics like prospective parliamentary candidate Dr Andre Haughton.

“I am not a mayor – or broadly, a political representative – that subscribes to decrepit political narratives, especially ones that seek to put down the hard work of the citizens of this parish and particularly the city of Montego Bay,” said Vernon. “But there are those who are so caught up in Montego Bay, which is the pearl of this country, so much so that they try as much as possible to put down and dismiss the efforts of the people of Montego Bay.”

Vernon’s comments come in the wake of a video posted two months ago by Haughton, the People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for St James West Central, accusing the StJMC’s leadership of prioritising the removal of his political billboards over improving Montego Bay’s physical infrastructure.

“The city is dirty, and the city does not reflect a modern tourism capital. Montego Bay, though the tourism capital of Jamaica, is the worst in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Montego Bay needs a change as these leaders are focused on the wrong things, petty politics, when they should be uplifting the communities for young people, they should be cleaning up the garbage, they should be beautifying the city, and ensuring that we have a good standard of living,” Haughton said.

While avoiding direct reference to Haughton, Vernon made clear that such statements – especially when circulated on public platforms – do real harm.

REAL HARM

“When you come and describe our city as dirty, nasty, and the worst place in the Caribbean and Latin America, ... and all the negative things that can be said about the city of Montego Bay, who do you think you are hurting?” Vernon asked. “What do they know about Montego Bay? They do not know anything about Montego Bay. Stay in your lane.”

He continued: “You are hurting the hard-working taxi operators, who try to move around on a day-to-day basis and earn a living and try to be as orderly as possible. You are hurting the craft trader, who comes out each day and tries to make a living from the value chain that is associated with tourism. You are hurting investors, who are coming to Montego Bay seeking to expand.”

In April, Vernon had instructed all electoral candidates to remove campaign materials from public spaces across St James that had not received approval from the municipal authority or they would be pulled down and violators billed. However, Haughton and fellow PNP candidates Senator Janice Allen and Allan Bernard mounted a legal challenge to the order. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court ruled that the StJMC should desist from removing campaign signs belonging to the PNP candidates while the matter waits to be heard.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com