KSAMC Cleaner Kingston drive targets downtown waste, tarps and vending order

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Downtown clean-up work by the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation is pressing on through its Cleaner Kingston programme, with teams removing waste and other blockages from city streets, including tarps that police say interfere with camera coverage.

KSAMC City Engineer Xavier Chevannes said the police had raised concerns about the issue. “We have gotten some complaints from the police as it relates to tarps, which at times would [cause] poor visibility for the cameras in the area, which would affect their enforcement activities,” he said.

Chevannes made the comments recently while a clean-up operation was taking place on New Chapel Lane. He said the corporation is coordinating with the police so the targeted locations can stay clear, traffic can move more easily, and vendors can return to designated selling spots once the clean-up work is finished.

He added that KSAMC has set terms of reference with its enforcement department for periodic follow-up operations, aimed at keeping the areas clean after the initial work is done.

According to Chevannes, vendors have generally supported the effort because they also want cleaner, easier-to-access spaces. Beckford Street, Heywood Street and New Chapel Lane have already been washed and cleaned under the programme.

The weekend clean-up schedule is expected to continue, with other streets to be tackled in the coming days.