The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation’s recent tussle with financial institutions and insurance companies over outstanding fees for billboards and other forms of advertising has shifted to media houses.

Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby announced Tuesday that nine media houses have been flagged for non-payment of outstanding advertising fees, and the KSAMC is going after them.

“As our revenue department intensifies efforts to collect outstanding revenues owed to us, our most recent focus has been on media houses. Our revenue department has written to nine such entities. Two have since made payments. One had requested additional information and the others have not even acknowledged receipt,” Swaby told councillors on Tuesday at the KSAMC’s monthly meeting inside the Marcus Garvey Council Chambers at the corporation’s Church Street offices in downtown Kingston.

Swaby sought to remind the public that they must honour their company’s obligations to pay annual fees to the KSAMC for the display of signs and advertisements.

“Subject to regulation three of the Town and Country Planning Control of Advertising regulation 1978, the law states that no person shall display any advertisement in, on or over any land or building without prior approval of [the] local planning authority and the payment of the prescribed fees. Therefore, if your signs and advertisements do not fall within the exemption under section five of the Advertisement Regulation Act, you have an obligation to submit an application to the KSAMC and to pay the requisite fees.

“These fees are non-transferable. They only apply to the individual or the business for who the application was submitted. For those who have not yet responded to our official communication, we will be taking further action against you to ensure that the KSAMC is paid what is due to us. We are sending a strong signal to media houses who we believe should act with more responsibility and lead by example,” the mayor said, without naming any of the entities in breach.

In March, the Jamaica Observer reported that five financial institutions had owed the KSAMC more than $12 million for signs installed at various branches and automated teller machines (ATMs).

Documents seen by the Observer showed that as at February, one institution owed the KSAMC more than $5 million, while another owed the corporation close to $3.5 million. Three other financial institutions had outstanding payments of more than $3.5 million.

On Tuesday, Swaby also announced that 3,000 metres sq of roadway has been approved for repairs under the divisional allocation fund at a cost of $20.1 million.

A total of $11.3 million was also approved for the repair of sidewalks.

The roads to be repaired are Park Lane, Plantation Avenue, Three Oaks Road, and Chinese Cemetery Road.

“Sidewalks in ModyFord Road and Phillipo Avenue in the Seiveright Gardens Division will be done now, and Development Road in Greenwhich Town Division were approved for repair at a cost of $11.3 million. This will cover approximately 1,098 metres square. We will, however, have to re-tender for three projects that went to procurement last year, two of which no offers were received. In the case of the other, the councillor decided to change the project,” Swaby explained.