Montego Bay, Jamaica – Billboards bearing the messages “Free Gaza” and “No to Genocide, Free Palestine” were illegally placed on palm trees near Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. The signs appeared just before the start of the 49th CARICOM Heads of Government meeting.
Removal of Signs
The St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) and the police removed the signs. The StJMC cited the violation of the Town and Country Planning Act as the reason for their removal.
Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon stated,
“We don’t have any problem with non-inflammatory political messaging and advertising. But, once you turn your messaging and your political advertising, or anything that you are putting out there, be it local or international, on a sign, then they fall under the Town and Country Planning Act.”
Vernon clarified that the issue was not with the message itself, saying,
“We are not necessarily taking issue with whatever messages are there, because what are they asking for? They’re asking for peace… we’re not opposed to that. They’re asking for the end of war, we’re not opposed to that. But once you put that anywhere in the space as a sign, then naturally, it becomes the purview of the municipal corporation, and the relevant regulation will be applied.”
According to Vernon, the signs were erected facing the A1 Road, near the Sangster International Airport. He explained that putting the signs on the trees without a permit violates the law.
“The signs have political messages. I don’t see them as controversial, they are messages relating to global events being advertised in a local space… . Our concern is that the signs were erected on the trees, facing the A1 Road within the vicinity of the Sangster International Airport and that needs a permit… a matter of fact, you cannot, based on the law, erect those signs on the trees. They are damaging the trees, and they are the amenities of the area, so we had to remove those.”
Reactions
A motorist reported seeing the signs being erected "under the cover of darkness." The motorist expressed approval of the signs, saying,
“I was quite pleased when I saw the signs going up because I am not only upset with what Israel is doing to the Palestinians, I am very angry about,”
The motorist also stated,
“I want to congratulate those who put up the signs because Jamaica has had a long history of fighting against injustice… . We did it with Zimbabwe and we did it with apartheid in South Africa, so it is a part of our nature and tradition to speak out against injustice.”
The motorist further commented,
“The likkle mayor (Vernon) look like him love tek down signs and billboard. CARICOM too silent on what is happening in Gaza, and we need to remind the leaders that these are people like us,”
The 49th CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Montego Bay is scheduled to begin soon.
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