New Mayor of Montego Bay Outlines Strategic Plan for the City’s Development

Councillor Richard Vernon is brimming with aspirations for the City of Montego Bay and the St. James Municipal Corporation, for which he is the new Mayor and Chairman, respectively.

Mayor Vernon, who was sworn in on March 7, along with his administration intends to commence implementing the local sustainable development plan by the start of fiscal year 2024/25.

He says advancing the welfare of the nation’s citizens is of utmost importance in the quest to achieve inclusive prosperity.

“We [the Municipality] are committed to building our people. We intend to improve support in this endeavour by committing a portion of the Mayor’s Charity Fund to sponsor full scholarships for at least two students annually,” the Mayor states.

He adds that the increased level of homelessness in the city needs to be addressed with great urgency, pointing out that “this administration is not in the business of facilitating a rising number of homeless cases, which currently stands at approximately 300”.

Plans to reduce the homeless population will be undertaken through a transitional process with the implementation of the first Transitional Centre in Montego Bay to assist in providing opportunities and relief for persons living on the streets and mentally challenged individuals, among other groups being targeted.

“We intend to reintegrate approximately 100 of these persons over the next four years,” Councillor Vernon advises.
The Mayor says the plans will also focus on reducing illegal vending on the sidewalks throughout the Second City by establishing a Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) Improvement Unit at the Municipal Corporation.

“That [Unit’s work] will [be guided by] research [on] street vending to provide practical solutions in the [medium term],” he shares.

Councillor Vernon says the Municipal Corporation is cognisant of the fact that vending is a viable livelihood and, as such, will seek to properly organise it in the interest of the vendors.

“This approach reinforces our belief that vending is a real income option and a viable livelihood that must not be marginalised, but properly organised and managed. As such, we have commenced data collection on over 500 vendors,” he informs.

The Mayor says a significant amount of the programmed engagements will focus on redevelopment of the Old Shoe Arcade.

“This development will provide capacity for 200 vendors, and we are also open to closing non-critical streets to establish local economic districts. These approaches would provide significant improved maneuvering of street vending. The new Unit will investigate these possibilities over the next six months,” he adds.

Meanwhile, Councillor Vernon says that in a bid to boost transparency between the Municipality and major interests in Montego Bay, more members of civil society will be added to the Corporation’s committees.

These, he informs, include “persons with disabilities [being added] to our Outcomes Committee… to enhance transparency and accountability”.

“This expansion will bring more inclusiveness to development orders and approvals,” the Mayor further highlights.

Meanwhile, he says the Administrative Division will facilitate more significant levels of participation through annual travel and bimonthly community meetings, which will feature representation of the annual municipal budget.

“We will be taking the budget to the people. The best sign of [governance] is to forge greater partnerships with the citizenry and provide an outlet for you to realise your social responsibility in self-governance,” the Mayor maintains.

While acknowledging that there will be challenges, Councillor Vernon is, nonetheless, optimistic that with the joint efforts of the City’s and the Municipality’s stakeholders, much is attainable.

“We are not oblivious of the challenges ahead of us. They are real. They will not be easily solved or over-conflicted. But together, we will make the power of partnerships [work]. Partnerships will define the performance of this new dispensation and will be the key to our ambitions and plan as a City and as a Municipality,” Councillor Vernon emphasises.