Troubled by a general lack of compliance by business owners in the capital city to pay signage fees, Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby has implored the just-under 3,000 in arrears to fulfil outstanding payments promptly, and launched a one-month programme to encourage compliance.

“Of the 3,421 signs audited, 2,958 have made no submission or approval to the KSAMC (Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation), meaning only 461 are compliant with two awaiting approval,” Swaby reported at Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the city managers, during which he announced the official start of a Signage Regularisation Campaign.

“These findings are concerning and demonstrate the timeliness and necessity for this campaign,” Swaby said.

The campaign, he said, provides an opportunity to clear outstanding signage fees at reduced rates running from January to March 2026.

According to Swaby, the reduction was designed to support operators who faced unexpected expenses, operational disruptions, and increased community obligations due to the effects of Hurricane Melissa which made landfall on October 28, 2025, affecting their ability to meet regulatory requirements, including signage fees.

The mayor also pointed out that many businesses have displayed signs for years without paying the required fees, which are mandated under the Advertisements Regulation Act and the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisement) Regulation, 1978.

Swaby urged business owners to use the opportunity presented through the campaign to settle their debt, noting that fees would return to normal rates once the three-month period expired.

“The purpose of this campaign is to inform, educate, and motivate the business community to take advantage of a time-limited signage regularisation opportunity. This opportunity runs from January 1 to March 31 of this year and applies to businesses with existing signs.

“We are activating communication efforts across social and traditional media as well as direct engagement with targeted stakeholders. Several planning meetings have been conducted with a joint technical task force. We are also coordinating internal briefings with relevant staff to ensure that teams are adequately informed and equipped to guide businesses through the regularisation process,” said Swaby.

The mayor added that the initiative was important due to many future and current business owners not knowing of the legislation that requires them to pay signage fees, noting that the programme would educate the public on the matter.

“The initiative not only demonstrates the importance of compliance but also the urgent need to drive awareness of the business community’s obligation under the Town and Country Planning Control of Advertisement Regulation 1978 and the Kingston and St Andrew Building Act.

“We have already set up meetings with the Small Business Association of Jamaica and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and we are waiting for a confirmation from the PSOJ (Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica). We are targeting and we are making sure that we are educating the public about this one,” said Swaby.

He also encourage councillors to play their part in disseminating information about the programme and expressed hope that the initiative would boost compliance with the law among the business community.