Special Meeting on February 6 to Discuss Montego Bay’s Administrative Framework

Two significant proposals intended to reshape Montego Bay’s managerial and governmental framework will be discussed during a St. James Municipal Corporation city hall meeting on Thursday, February 6.

The event, slated for the Montego Bay Cultural Centre in Sam Sharpe Square beginning 5:00 p.m., aims to address matters regarding the official city limits as well as the implementation of new regulations for animal rearing within the jurisdiction.

The meeting will feature representatives from the National Spatial Data Management Division (NSDMD), National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and experts from the University of the West Indies (UWI), who will provide insights into sustainable city planning.

Municipal Corporation Chairman and Montego Bay Mayor, Councillor Richard Vernon, told JIS News that there is currently no officially recorded boundary defining the city of Montego Bay.

He said over the years, various agencies have operated with their own interpretations of where the city begins and ends, adding that this inconsistency has resulted in governance, urban planning and service delivery challenges.

Consequently, one of the proposals seeks to establish clear city limits based on work previously undertaken by NEPA, which conceptualised Montego Bay’s space and proposed boundaries, Councillor Vernon added.

“So, the conversation that we are seeking to have with residents is why we have proposed this area as the limits to the city of Montego Bay, what we intend to do with it, how we will govern this space and their role in the grand scope of things,” he explained.

“It is important to know where the limits of Montego Bay are and how you will be affected within the space. You actually also need to know whether or not you’re living in Montego Bay, as persons keep saying that they are from Montego Bay, [that] they live in Montego Bay, but [that’s] not necessarily so,” the Mayor pointed out.

Councillor Vernon further indicated that by designating a specific space for structured management, the Corporation can create a more efficient governance model that can later be replicated across the municipality.

Additionally, he said official recognition of the city limits will enhance its standing on the international stage and facilitate structured urban development.

Regarding the second proposal, relating to the implementation of a restricted area under the Keeping of Animals Act, Councillor Vernon indicated that there are growing concerns about stray and unauthorisedly kept animals within Montego Bay’s residential areas.

“Persons are raising cows in residential spaces, chicken coops in backyards and pigs along Barracks Road for example. So we need to have that conversation. Is that legal. Is it illegal,” he said.
Councillor Vernon added that under the proposed restricted area designation, persons wishing to keep animals within the city limits will be required to obtain a licence.

He maintained that the measure is not intended to ban animals but to regulate them, thus ensuring that all related activities are conducted in an orderly and legal manner.

“We also are seeking to get the pound going,” Councillor Vernon informed, pointing out that, “this is another component of the management mechanism of the declared area.”

The Mayor said following the consultations, the documented feedback will be used to support a resolution for submission to the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development for gazetting.

“So it’s a big conversation, and we’re inviting all the residents within the affected areas to come out and be a part of this conversation,” Councillor Vernon said.

He advised that the Social Development Commission (SDC) will be providing mobilisation support.

“We are also trying to get all the community development committees (CDCs) to attend and the citizens associations, including persons with disabilities, and other specialised associations. We want everybody to be involved in the conversation, because they need to know how you will be impacted by these decisions,” Mayor Vernon further stated.