MoBay’s mayor gets tough, seven advertisers pay up

WESTERN BUREAU:

With the St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) keeping its promise to take enforcement action against 15 delinquent advertisers, who collectively owe J$16.3 million, seven of the advertisers have belatedly stepped forward, paying up some J$8.1 million.

According to Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon, who is also the chairman of the StJMC, the payments were made up to last Wednesday, bringing down the outstanding sums - which were initially stated to be J$30 million at the last monthly meeting of the corporation - to J$.2 million.

“To date, seven advertisers have complied with their obligations following our enforcement action that was taken in the week of April 20,” said Vernon. “Payments were received over a four-day period, beginning April 24 and continuing through to April 29. The StJMC has collected $8,150,861.00 so far, reducing the original outstanding amount to $8,157,759.50.

“This is not the first time we have had to address non-compliance, but the corporation has acted now due to the increase in delinquency. We have a city to run, and running a city requires adequate and reliable funding,” continued Vernon. “Our resources are already stretched, and whenever there is a fallout in revenue, we must intensify compliance activities to protect the city’s ability to function effectively.”

The 15 advertisers were previously served notices by the StJMC to clear their outstanding fees within the week of April 13. However, they failed to comply, prompting the StJMC to take enforcement action, which included removing the advertisers’ signs.

Section 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations of 1978 states that where an advertisement is displayed without the required permission, or where the conditions of that permission have not been met, the local planning authority may issue an enforcement notice specifying the offending advertisement.

It further stated that the authority may then act within a period of not less than 28 days, including the demolition or alteration of the sign.

Section 21 further provides that if such a notice is not obeyed within the stipulated period, the planning authority may take steps to enforce compliance and recover, through the local court, any reasonable expenses incurred.

The other eight advertisers who remain non-compliant are to be contacted by the StJMC with yet another warning to pay their debt, failing which they are poised to face further action.

“We have received no communication from the remaining advertisers who are still in arrears, and they will be contacted once more by telephone and email. Until full compliance is achieved, the enforcement measures currently in place will be maintained,” said Vernon.

“To encourage faster compliance going forward, the corporation will implement closer monitoring of accounts and restructured payment arrangements where appropriate. Advertisers will be formally advised of these strengthened measures,” he said. christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com