St. James Municipal Corporation Warns Event Organisers

The St. James Municipal Corporation says that no permits will be granted to organisers of entertainment events who fail to adhere to the necessary guidelines governing the staging of such activities.

Speaking at a press conference at the Corporation’s office in Montego Bay, St. James on Thursday (March 31), Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, reminded event organisers that they must go through several layers of approval to ensure the safety of patrons.

“Firstly, we are still in a pandemic and venues must remain below the 70 per cent capacity as was articulated by the Prime Minister. Secondly, we have to be mindful of how we go about hosting events, especially sizable ones, without approved emergency contingency plans. Thirdly, there will be a zero-tolerance approach for persons posting signs and billboards… without [following] the requisite procedures,” he said.

Councillor Vernon noted that there must be proper garbage management for events and the necessary health protocols must be observed.

In addition, security clearance must be sought to ensure that patrons as well as promoters operate in a safe environment.

“The municipal corporation is not prepared to grant a permit to those who do not meet the requirements for hosting an event in a safe, sanitary, and secure environment. As such, all agency requirements must be fulfilled for a permit to be granted,” Councillor Vernon said.

“We aim to build a more sustainable city, one that fosters business growth, but not at the expense of life, health, or environment,” he pointed out.

The Deputy Mayor made it clear that permits will not be granted to persons who apply for hosting approval on the day of the event.

“For small events, applications must be within 30 days – one application to the police department and one to St. James Municipal Corporation. For larger events, there must be limited-liability insurance, a disaster contingency plan and 60 days within which to apply,” he informed.

He said that permit fees will be cut by 50 per cent in keeping with a commitment to reduce costs on operators.

Councillor Vernon implored adherence to the guidelines, noting that the police will be very vigilant to ensure the highest level of compliance.

He informed that since the March 18 reopening of the entertainment sector, there has been an increase in applications for permits, with some 15 processed by the municipal corporation.

“The importance of this sector must be underscored, as it creates jobs and also [generates] business for beauticians, taxi operators, vendors, artistes, and many other niche operators,” he said.

The entertainment sector was closed for almost two years to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.