The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) is to meet with officials of Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts to work out an approval process to have the college’s approach road renamed Rex Nettleford Drive.

The name of the approach road to the college, which is off Arthur Wint Drive, is Alexander Road. However, Edna Manley College has already erected a sign at the approach road that reads Rex Nettleford Drive.

But at the February 1, meeting of the KSAMC Roads and Traffic Committee, there was controversy about the erection of the Rex Nettleford Drive sign.

The roads and traffic committee stated that there were discussions as to “whether the erection of the sign was legal, the procedure to be followed, and whether or not there is precedence for renaming of roads”.

City Engineer Norman Shand was instructed to research the issue.

The March 7 roads and traffic committee agenda contained a memo from Shand, dated March 6, to Robert Hill, CEO of the KSAMC. Shand stated that principal of the Edna Manley College Dr Nicholeen DeGrasse-Johnson and Orion Gayle, director of office, facilitator, had explained to him the reasons the sign was erected.

“It was noted that communications were made to you in 2014, as well as former mayor, Angela Brown Burke, in 2015, whereby, you had responded that their request would have been forwarded to the relevant meeting for a decision to be taken.”

Shand said that the college made numerous calls to the KSAMC about the matter, but got no response. The college then decided to erect the sign without the necessary permission.

Shand said that, based on his findings, he had instructed Dr DeGrasse-Johnson and Gayle to have the sign removed by Monday, March 6.

“A follow-up will be done for compliance,” Shand stated in the memo.

However, Hill told the Jamaica Observer last Thursday that there would be a meeting with the Edna Manley College officials to work out an approval process for the Rex Nettleford Drive sign.

At the February 1, roads and traffic committee meeting, it was said that a recommendation would have to be made to the Ministry of Local Government for the name change to be gazetted.

— Claudienne Edwards