$40 Million to Clean Drains in Kingston and St. Andrew

Approximately $40 million has been set aside to carry out major drain cleaning across Kingston and St. Andrew.

The annual programme, which started in May, seeks to reduce the flooding that usually occurs during rainy periods.

This was disclosed by Mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams, during yesterday’s (July 11) sitting of the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation at its Church Street offices in downtown Kingston.

“We have started it; we have cleaned a number of critical drains (and) the programme continues,” he said.

The Mayor informed that drains in Harbour View and Bull Bay, as well as along Spanish Town Road, have already been cleaned. He added that drains along the coastline spanning all divisions will be cleaned.

“We continue to monitor those drains… as they are critical to our city,” the Mayor said.

He pointed out that the programme is maintained through the Corporation’s Parochial Revenue Fund (PRF), which is received on a monthly basis. “So, basically, as the funds become available, we clean and we observe and ensure that the drains are kept clean, especially the ones that are critical and are in flood-prone areas,” he said.

In the meantime, the Mayor is urging Jamaicans to properly dispose of their garbage and not to throw it in gullies or drains, as this usually results in blocked drains that lead to flooding when it rains.