Local municipal authorities in Kingston and St Andrew are extending a final opportunity for Corporate Area business owners to resolve long-outstanding signage fee arrears, as the government body prepares to ramp up formal compliance enforcement across the region.
Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby has announced the rollout of a new multi-pronged initiative that combines on-the-ground mobile payment outstations and targeted public education campaigns, designed to boost understanding of local signage regulations and streamline access to payment services for delinquent operators.
Speaking on the goals of the program, Swaby emphasized that the campaign is far more than a collections push: it is a proactive effort to demystify the signage regularization process, answer real-time questions from confused business owners, and clear up lingering uncertainty about what legal requirements entities must meet to operate public-facing signage. During the outreach sessions, participating businesses will be able to settle any unpaid fees on-site, if they choose to do so.
To remove barriers to access, the mobile outstations will be set up directly at plazas and major commercial hubs across the Kingston and St Andrew municipality, bringing compliance services directly to the doorsteps of the business owners that need them. KSAMC staff will be on hand at each location to respond to inquiries, walk operators through the permit and approval process, accept new applications, and carry out preliminary on-site inspections when requested.
Swaby stressed that the new outreach effort underscores the municipal corporation’s commitment to prioritizing public education, accessible services, and voluntary compliance before moving forward with harsher mandatory enforcement measures. Even so, he issued a clear warning: participation in the education sessions does not replace the legal requirement for businesses to bring their accounts up to date. He urged all operators located in commercial plazas and centers to address any outstanding unpaid signage obligations without delay.
Businesses that fail to resolve their arrears will face formal enforcement action in line with local Jamaican law, Swaby confirmed. He encouraged all eligible entities to come prepared with the necessary supporting documentation to take advantage of the flexible payment and support opportunities offered during the outreach sessions.
This new campaign builds on a previous fee amnesty effort that ran from January through March 2026, which offered delinquent businesses the chance to settle arrears at a discounted 20% rate. That discount was introduced to ease financial strain on operators that faced unexpected costs, halted operations, and increased community burdens in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall in the region on October 28, 2025.
While the earlier amnesty saw measurable success – collecting roughly $5 million in unpaid fees by March 5 – Swaby noted that a large share of non-compliant businesses have still not addressed their outstanding obligations. All entities that display public signage, regardless of whether that signage sits on public or private land, are being urged to connect with the municipal corporation and complete the steps required to regularize their operations.
Full information on the locations and schedule of the new mobile outstations will be published to the KSAMC’s official website and social media channels in the coming days. Closing his statement, Swaby reiterated the municipal government’s straightforward call to action: engage with KSAMC representatives, get the clarity businesses need to comply, regularize public signage, and help build a safer, more organized, and business-friendly Kingston and St Andrew for all operators and community members.