ST JAMES, Jamaica – Chairman of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation (TMC) and Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Collen Gager, has stepped up his campaign to promote civic pride among residents and the business community in the parish capital.

Mayor Gager said he is committed to engaging stakeholders in making Falmouth a model town.

“The drive has been ongoing since I took office [in 2016]. I want everyone to get on board because this is not a Trelawny Municipal Corporation matter. I want for us all to work together to make the town the freshest smelling place in Jamaica, the town with the cleanest streets, the town with the best landscaping and the highest rate of use of sanitary conveniences,” he said.

At the civic ceremony held in Falmouth on National Heroes Day, October 16, the TMC recognised two residents – Courtney Yetman and Anthony Watson – for their “impressive contribution to the preservation of civic pride in this parish”.

They were presented with the inaugural Civic Pride Award for their efforts to prevent public urination.

The citation read, inter alia, “…Civic pride is defined as having pride in your city (town), but it’s much more than just that. Civic pride brings a community together and makes us feel good about where we live. While many may scoff at the act and consider it insignificant, the people of Trelawny applaud you Courtney Yetman and Anthony Watson, for your impressive contribution to the preservation of civic pride in this parish”.

Mayor Gager is encouraging other well-thinking citizens to follow the example of Yetman and Watson and join the campaign to ensure that Falmouth maintains its reputation as a picturesque Georgian town.

He said that “ultimately, it’s people who are at the heart of a vibrant, dynamic city (town), so encouraging civic pride in our community is essential for achieving the quality of life desired by residents and the creation and maintenance of a healthy city (town)”.

“Civic pride means different things to different people. It could be as simple as sweeping a sidewalk, volunteering for a local organisation, discouraging litter and graffiti, saying no to negative comments, helping someone in need, maintaining your yard – it’s about appreciating the existing community and the need for wanting it to improve,” he added.

Mayor Gager called for members of the Falmouth community and friends in the diaspora to participate in events that promote civic pride and is appealing for locals to “start at home” by cleaning up their personal spaces, planting flowers and ornamental hedges, as well as participating in regular clean-up days to maintain their community’s beauty.

He encouraged volunteers to start and maintain community gardens and those who are involved in social media, to share their stories and photographs of civic pride engagements by posting them on their personal and group pages using the handle @FalmouthCivicPride or #FalmouthCivicPride.

-JIS