WESTERN BUREAU — While hundreds of people were ringing in the New Year in Falmouth Monday night, vandals were busy destroying the municipal Christmas tree.

According to reports, the vandals, angered by the poorly decorated tree and the absence of the traditional tree lighting ceremony, used machetes to remove several branches of the tree. Some of the decorations were also removed and thrown to the ground. Up to late Wednesday evening the branches from the tree and the decorations were still lying under the tree.

But even before the debacle, member of parliament for North Trelawny, Wendell Stewart had expressed dissatisfaction with the tree, and had apologised to the residents of Falmouth for the poor quality of the work done to mark the Yuletide season.

“I am very sorry for the poor quality of the Christmas tree, and I take full responsibility for it,” Stewart told the Observer.

The tree was erected in Falmouth’s Water Square two days before Christmas, and since then residents have harshly criticised the MP for the shoddy decoration job.

“This is the worse Christmas tree I have ever seen in Falmouth,” one resident who has lived in that town for over 10 years declared.

“Only the bottom half of the tree has decoration on it and since it was erected over a week ago, the few lights on it have not been switched on,” another resident, Paul Smith, said.

Several foreign nationals, who were visiting the parish, also expressed their displeasure at the tree and the absence of the customary Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

“When I am here for Christmas I usually take my children to the Christmas tree in the square to take pictures. But I won’t be able to do that this time,” Pauline Tate, who lives in England, told the Observer.

Stewart admitted that he was aware of the criticism being levelled against him, and the Christmas tree. But according to him, the lack of co-operation from several organisations in the town had resulted in the poor quality of the tree.

“I just did not get the fullest support from the Jamaica Public Service Company, (JPSCo) and the Falmouth fire department in setting up the tree this time,” he said.

Four years ago, the MP assumed control of the municipal Christmas tree, a job usually carried out by the Trelawny Parish Council. At that time, Stewart argued that the Parish Council had not lived up to its civic duty of providing a top quality Christmas tree and lighting ceremony.

In the wake of this year’s fiasco, he said the Council will once again be given the responsibility of erecting the tree.

“I am giving back the Council the responsibility of the tree. It is their responsibility. They are now giving the impression that someone has fallen down on the job, and they should not be the one to complain,” Stewart remarked.

He said, however, that he would be willing to ‘assist’ the Council with Christmas tree decorations in the future.