MAYOR LEADS AGENCIES ON PUSH TO GET ORDER, COMPLIANCE IN TOWN
PORT MARIA, St Mary; October 3, 2025
PORT MARIA was different on Thursday, October 2, 2025. The St Mary capital was orderly. Buses and taxis were filling out the Transport Centre, and people were going there to get them. Illegal, robot taxis were nowhere to be seen. The stalls and loads of produce and haberdashery items that used to line the pavement in front of shops and supermarkets and take up parking spaces in plazas were not in evidence.
The sidewalks were available for pedestrian use.
What had happened? This was not the usual state of Port Maria.
(One of the buildings that drew attention)
It seems the word had got out that the Mayor Fitzroy Wilson, with technical staff from the St Mary Municipal Corporation (SMMC) and accompanied by the heads or representatives of several government agencies, was going to do a walkabout the town. And, they were joined by the police, led by Superintendent Anthony Wallace, in charge of the parish.
Other stakeholders involved in the walk were: North East Parks and Markets (NEPM), Public Health Department, Tax Administration of Jamaica, Fire Brigade, and divisions of the SMMC, which Mayor Wilson chairs.
(Mayor of Port Maria, Councillor Fitzroy Wilson, centre, speaks with the media before a walkthrough of the St Mary capital on Thursday. At left is Councillor for the Port Maria division, Corinne Dillon McDonald, and at right is Superintendent in charge of St Mary police, Anthony Wallace.)
The aim was to enforce compliance with various regulations, determine the need for action on infrastructure, and remind the public, including shop operators, vendors, and transport operators of rules and processes governing the town. Most things were in place, so there were few tickets to be issued.
Though transport operators were complying with the use of the bus park, before the walkabout started, Mayor Wilson asked Superintendent Wallace to speak on the need for compliance. The police superintendent said that with the help of the Municipal police, his team from the JCF would seek to enforce compliance. “We will be increasing enforcement and monitoring” of the town he said. He said the police would “take charge” of the public order issues.
One of the issues confronted was the poor state and appearance of some of the buildings in the town, including a closed plaza that remains in a dilapidated condition. It was reported that the plaza on Stennett Street is illegally used by transport operators for pick up and drop off. It is also said to be the location for criminal activities.
Speaking to the North Coast Times, Mayor Wilson said: “The day was very, very successful.” He said it helped to show that there was leadership for the town, and Port Maria was not abandoned.
He said the visit assisted the NEPM team in collecting some outstanding commercial fees for their services; helped Council staff check trade and other licences, and assisted the Health Department also in examining the sanitation of shops and storage of food at various establishments.
WATCH AS MAYOR WILSON outlines the day’s plans and aims
The mayor promised assistance of the Council in dealing with infrastructure such as drains and sidewalks, and improvements to the Horace Clarke Transport Centre.
