Dear Editor,

There is no tree, utility pole, or bridge that has escaped being festooned in ribbons and swaths of green and orange. This is true uptown, downtown, and in rural Jamaica.

In one rural constituency, through which I travelled recently, the utility poles have been painted in party colours, one party taking it a step further by stencilling in its initials — permanent ownership being staked.

Sigh.

In two weeks, it will all be over. One party will have won, and the other will have lost. And life will go on. It is the responsibility of each political representative in each constituency to ensure that all posters, ribbons, and flags are removed after the election. This has not happened in times past. Posters from past elections remain affixed to trees and posts to this day, despite announcements and directives from the political ombudsman. Game over, to hell with clean up, carry on smartly.

I am asking from now that whichever party forms the next Government allocate funds on day one to pay residents to remove and discard (responsibly) the yards and yards of fabric, signs, and ribbons.

It is an unfortunate but absolutely necessary to deploy our tax dollars to restore order and remove this eyesore. Our island is beautiful as is.

Kelly McIntosh

kkmac218@gmail.com