The launch of another initiative to clean up downtown Kingston and keep it that way is welcome, but it is also a reminder of how often this country has had to return to the same basic task of persuading Jamaicans to keep their surroundings clean.

The ‘See it. Snap it. Fix it.’ programme launched by the Downtown Kingston Redevelopment Initiative (DKRI) last Thursday seeks to enlist the public in identifying problems such as illegal dumping, damaged roads, and other infrastructural defects. By scanning a QR code, taking a photograph, and submitting the location, Jamaicans can alert the relevant authorities to problems requiring attention.

It is an innovative approach that could help improve accountability and coordination, particularly with the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and National Works Agency (NWA) expected to be involved. We commend the DKRI for taking this initiative and recognising that maintaining downtown cannot be left to any one organisation.

However, we must temper our enthusiasm with a healthy dose of realism. While reporting illegal dumping and overflowing garbage is one thing, getting damaged roads repaired and other long-standing infrastructural problems addressed could prove considerably more difficult.

The DKRI can identify and channel complaints, but it does not have the authority or resources to compel government agencies to act. The success of this programme will therefore depend heavily on how responsive those agencies are and whether there is a sustained commitment to addressing the problems reported.

There is also a larger issue that cannot be overlooked. Why, after so many years and so many campaigns, are we still struggling to get Jamaicans to dispose of their garbage responsibly?

Each time we discuss the issue we are reminded of the ‘Clean as a Whistle’ campaign spearheaded by the now late Mr Sameer Younis in 1982. That initiative, supported by a massive public education programme aimed at stimulating civic pride, helped inspire the formation of Metropolitan Parks and Markets and the subsequent promulgation of the Litter Act.

Mr Younis recalled that the campaign had reached a point at which people openly rebuked others for littering. Some 3,000 garbage bins were placed on city streets, while motorists, schools, and workplaces were also targeted.

Yet, more than four decades later, we continue to battle the same antisocial behaviour.

In 2023, the NSWMA and its partners launched Klean Kingston as part of the wider Clean City programme, targeting the capital’s business district and the backlog of garbage in town centres. That effort, too, was accompanied by public education initiatives intended to encourage greater civic responsibility. The fact that we are now embarking on another major campaign underscores just how persistent the problem has become.

Millions of dollars have been spent on waste collection and public education, yet too many people continue to dump garbage indiscriminately. Weak enforcement of the Litter Act, coupled with sanctions that do little to deter offenders, have helped perpetuate this behaviour.

Clearly, more clean-up exercises alone will not solve the problem. What is needed is a major cultural shift in how Jamaicans regard their environment and their responsibility to protect it. Keeping public spaces clean must become an everyday civic obligation, not something we remember only when a campaign is launched or Christmas approaches. Enforcement must also be consistent, with meaningful consequences for those who disregard the rules.

A clean environment is fundamental to public health, community pride, and the attractiveness of our commercial districts. We therefore hope ‘See it. Snap it. Fix it.’ will be more than another well-intentioned exercise that loses momentum after its launch.

The DKRI deserves credit for trying a different approach. Our hope is that, this time, the necessary partnerships will deliver results, citizens will take ownership, and the authorities will act on the concerns brought to their attention.