KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) continued its drive to remove illegal signs and billboards on Sunday, targeting plazas in the Half-Way-Tree area.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the KSAMC, Robert Hill, said the municipality has seen an increase in compliance but noted that the KSAMC will still write to delinquent business operators to urge them to settle outstanding arrears.

“I believe that there’s a general increase in understanding amongst business owners and persons who are responsible for signage, and we would have seen that in terms of the increase in compliance throughout the January-to-March period, as well as when we have gone into the enforcement action period. So there is some amount of increase in the compliance rate and the comprehension around that, but we still have to be out here doing the enforcement bit, and once we’re doing the enforcement bit, I suppose the numbers would increase because persons are understanding why we have to do this,” Hill said.

The CEO stated that the KSAMC will continue its enforcement efforts under the Town and Country Planning Act.

“We are a little bit disappointed that we still have to be doing this, but we have our duties to do. The law requires us to carry out these duties, and we have to do it. Yes, we’d want a greater level of compliance and a greater level of recognition of why we’re doing this, but it is necessary…We continue with our legal responsibilities to carry out our duties as regards the Town and Country Planning Act,” he said.

Hill said the KSAMC has allocated $10 million from revenue earned to make public spaces more accessible for disabled residents and citizens across Kingston and St Andrew.

“We are working with the UWI (University of the West Indies) Centre for Disability Studies, and we have made this commitment to investing in the safety of the vulnerable community and ensuring that ramps and access to sidewalks and driveways are made easier for them to traverse. This is part of the benefit for public safety that we’re doing,” Hill said.