The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) has formally launched its long-announced enforcement campaign, initiating the removal of unapproved outdoor signage and billboards across the municipality, following a three-month compliance grace period that drew low levels of participation from regulated entities.\n\nMayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby confirmed that the operation is not a temporary, one-off initiative, and crews have already begun taking down non-compliant signage across multiple districts of Kingston’s Corporate Area starting Thursday. Swaby emphasized that the enforcement drive will continue systematically until all unauthorised displays are addressed.\n\nPublic outreach on signage compliance requirements has been underway since the start of the calendar year, Swaby explained. Municipal authorities distributed formal notification letters, held one-on-one consultations with signage owners, engaged industry umbrella groups, and ran public awareness announcements on local radio. The public education and compliance window was originally scheduled to close on March 31, and enforcement was only slightly delayed to allow teams to complete final verification of permit and payment records.\n\nUnder the rules, any publicly displayed signage — regardless of whether it is placed on private property, commercial plazas, or public road right-of-ways — is required to obtain formal approval from the KSAMC. Any display that has not gone through the application and approval process will be removed as part of the ongoing campaign, Swaby added.\n\nThe three-month grace period launched in January included an incentive for non-compliant entities: a 20% discount on all outstanding signage regulatory fees. The incentive was specifically designed to ease the burden on businesses and public agencies that faced financial hardship after Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on October 28, 2024. The storm caused widespread operational disruptions, unexpected recovery costs, and shifted operational priorities for many entities, leaving them unable to meet regulatory obligations including signage fee payments.\n\nDespite the accommodative terms, compliance rates remained far below municipal expectations. Of the 3,421 signs audited by KSAMC officials, only 463 owners completed required payments and brought their signage into full compliance during the grace period. Swaby previously voiced frustration over the low turnout at the KSAMC’s monthly meeting on March 12, 2025, noting that while some entities took advantage of the discount, dozens of public and private entities still held outstanding obligations ahead of the grace period deadline.\n\nAt that March meeting, Swaby gave multiple public warnings that enforcement would follow immediately after the grace period closed. He noted that the entire initiative was structured to give entities a fair, low-cost path to regularize their signage status without facing penalties, and the enforcement phase was unavoidable for those that failed to act.\n\nTo carry out the campaign, the KSAMC has assembled a dedicated enforcement team tasked with coordinating all removal actions. The municipality has also reached out to senior leadership of the Area 4 and Area 5 police divisions, as well as local divisional commanders across Kingston and St Andrew, to request police support for the structured enforcement drive where necessary.\n\nWith removal operations now officially underway, Swaby reiterated his call for all property owners and businesses that still hold unapproved signage to complete the permitting and payment process promptly to avoid having their displays removed.