More ‘Push-back’ needed?
St Ann Mayor says clean-up was a success; councillors disagree
OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Mayor of St Ann’s Bay Michael Belnavis has been challenged by two fellow Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillors to re-evaluate his assertion that order has been restored within major towns in the parish under Project Push-back, an initiative Belnavis organised.
Executed over a four-day period in January through the joint efforts of the municipal corporation, police, and the National Solid Waste Management Authority, Project Push-back was billed as a clampdown on illegal vending and an effort to stem the influx of taxi drivers.
“The push-back was a success and we’re trying to see if at the end of the month we can do another push-back. I’m pleased with the work that was done by the municipal corporation and the [NSWMA] to have the push-back of vending, taxis and so on,” Belnavis remarked during last Thursday’s monthly meeting.
However, Councillor Ian Isaacs (JLP, Exchange Division) disagreed.
“I’m not seeing an effective clean-up in Ocho Rios. Maybe for one day the place will look organised and then it goes right back to square one. It needs that maintenance in having the municipal police patrolling the areas of concern,” Isaacs urged.
He argued that vendors are back to their usual routine, with some taking up residence at the entrance of various business places.
“I know the vendors are still on the streets as we speak. So where are we going with this? Is it that we are going to have a no-tolerance for street vending or is that some areas will continue to operate as is?” Isaacs questioned.
Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence (JLP, Brown’s Town Division) was also unimpressed with what was achieved by the recent clampdown. She is of the view that other issues need to be addressed before Project Push-back can be effective.
“The only thing we are doing is pushing back ourselves because we are pushing these people in Brown’s Town into a market that has a leaking roof, a market that is hardly being cleaned. We are pushing the taxi operators into a park that has no roof; so we aren’t pushing back no one but ourselves,” said Brown Lawrence.
Councillor Ian Isaacs (JLP, Exchange Division) weighing in on the effectiveness of Project Push-back during last Thursday’s meeting of the St Ann Municipal Corporation.
