MONTEGO BAY, St James — Approximately $5 million has been provided from the coffers of the local municipal corporation in St James to clean sections of Montego Bay ahead of the annual independence and emancipation celebrations.

Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Leeroy Williams made the announcement during a media briefing on Monday, when he outlined plans to spruce up the western resort city. He explained that the main area of focus will be downtown Montego Bay, within the city’s centre, and detailed the scope of work planned during a series of meetings with stakeholders.

“We will be partnering with the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) in ridding St James Street, areas in and around Sam Sharpe Square, and adjoining areas of all solid waste,” remarked Williams.

“In addition, our Roads and Works Department, working with great support from the Jamaica Fire Brigade here in St James, will be washing and sanitising St James Street — from the region of the City Centre Building all the way down to the intersection of St James and Creek streets,” he added.

Their deadline is just a little more than two weeks away before ‘Jamaica 61’ festivities get underway. The mayor is hoping the business community will also get involved.

“The corporation, working in collaboration with the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will be pushing to get owners of buildings and businesses along St James Street to give their buildings a facelift in the form of a paint job or simply washing their buildings to give them a fresh new look,” Mayor Williams revealed.

He admitted that painting the buildings could prove to be a challenge as some business operators are using rented space.

“The operators, if you go to them and tell them to tell the owners that they need to paint up, they’re not going to do it because they are fearful they are going to increase the rent on them,” Williams divulged.

However, he is still hopeful that the business community will provide some measure of support for the initiative.