KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) has carried out renovation work at public sanitary facilities in Harbour View and Louise Bennett-Coverley Square in Gordon Town.

Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby, during the handing over on Sunday, said the initiative is in keeping with the corporation’s Cleaner Kingston Programme, which aims to improve public spaces and provide cleaner, more accessible facilities for residents and visitors.

“We have refurbished the sanitary convenience. We have put in a solar light system, we are putting in new facilities, we have painted the area, and we are going to put in some signs around here to indicate to persons that when they want relief for themselves, they can use these facilities,” said Swaby.

Additionally, the mayor said the KSAMC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the community organisations for both locations to manage the locations daily.

“In the case of Gordon Town, we have signed it with the Gordon Town Citizens Association and the Gordon Town Community Council. In the case of Harbour View, we signed with the Harbour View Citizens Association and the Rocky Park Youth Council, they will have the responsibility to manage their affairs on a daily basis. We have employed someone here in the case of Gordon Town, so they will oversee that person. They will also report to the KCAMC on a regular basis if there are issues of what needs to be done,” Swaby said.

The mayor is encouraging people who will be utilising the facility to give a contribution towards the upkeep of the sanitary conveniences.

“We also encourage persons that while we’re not charging, because we won’t turn persons away, but we encourage persons, if you have $100, if you have $50, put it in a thing that can help to maintain buying back the tissue, buy the disinfectant, and all the things that we normally buy on a regular basis. The KSAMC will pay the person who is employed here, but we are asking the residents and the users of the facility just to contribute something to make sure that it is run efficiently and effectively,” Swaby said.