MONTEGO BAY, St James — Adamant that the official election campaign season has started, two caretaker candidates from the People’s National Party (PNP) on Monday insisted that Montego Bay’s Mayor Richard Vernon (Jamaica Labour Party, Montego Bay South Division) has no authority to remove their campaign signs.

Equally adamant that the campaign season is triggered by the announcement of the election date, which has not yet happened, Vernon has had a number of signs removed from the streets of the western city.

According to Electoral Office of Jamaica guidelines, the campaign period begins either on the announcement of an election, or 54 months and a day after the Government takes its term of office — whichever comes earlier.

Vernon had warned last week that signs not removed by the end of the week would on Monday be taken down by local authorities and their owners billed. He also indicated, then, that the removals would take place irrespective of political affiliation.

Among the signs removed on Monday were some that trumpeted the virtues of Dr Andre Haughton and Senator Janice Allen.

Haughton, who is seeking to wrest the St James West Central constituency from the JLP’s Marlene Malahoo-Forte, said there was no discussion with him before his signs were removed, insisted that Jamaica is in the election season, and accused the mayor of being partisan in his approach.

“It’s a political thing, you don’t need any permission,” Haughton told the Jamaica Observer.

“I would really have to seek some legal advice because they don’t have the right to do that. It would be a political ombudsman issue and the JLP got rid of the political ombudsman so therefore there is nothing they can do,” he insisted.

Senator Allen had similar views. She is seeking to unseat Heroy Clarke and represent St James Central.

“We are not supposed to have any issues because we are in the official campaign period, as I understand it,” she said.

“I am awaiting some instructions from the party, but as far as I know we are not taking down any signs,” Allen said.

She, too, believes the mayor has overstepped, as the issue should be one dealt with by the political ombudsman.

“We’ve heard the comments made by the mayor in the public domain, nobody has officially communicated with me from any office of the mayor or whomever,” Allen insisted.

“Until then, we will just proceed as we would normally proceed, bearing in mind — as I’m sure you’ve seen across the city materials that have been there from other campaigns. And even though they may be from other persons, it’s still the political parties,” she declared.

However, Vernon has rejected suggestions that he is being partisan in his approach.

“I don’t care if it is a JLP or PNP sign, the signs must be approved and there is a process for that,” he told the Observer.

“Usually when the election is announced, we tend to relax that aspect of the regulations and allow the candidates because they will now move to be duly nominated and therefore want to advertise their candidacy for a particular political area,” Vernon explained.

He also stressed that candidates have two weeks to remove signs after the polls close.

Political signs have littered the country for years, colours fading, wood rotting as they are battered by the elements. The political ombudsman’s calls for them to be removed have routinely been ignored by both political parties.

“Some persons may be of the view that this has been practised for several years, and some persons are of the view that some candidates mounted their signs long before the elections were announced. I am saying that because we practise it, does not mean it is correct or it is legal,” Mayor Vernon insisted on Monday.

“We are not usually hard and fast where signs are concerned during this time, but now it is not a political period and if we allow the political signs to overrun the space, then little from this we are going to have flags, and all different types of paraphernalia taking over the city space and it is just not the time for it. Wait until the election is announced!” he said.