MONTEGO BAY, St James — The St James Parish Council is looking to enlist community members in the sustained cleaning and maintenance of drains across the parish.

Chairman of the council’s Civic and Community Affairs Committee, Councillor Suzette Brown, said the aim is get communities to “take charge of the drains”.

She said: “When they become owners they are able to encourage other community members not to litter or dump garbage in the vicinity,” Councillor Brown said, while addressing a Think Tank at the Jamaica Information Service’s (JIS) Montego Bay office on Tuesday.

She said that the move is already underway in the William Street area of Montego Bay, where residents are engaged in cleaning the drain “which was of great concern in the past”.

She noted that the drain is now being maintained by four members of the community, resulting in significant enhancement of the aesthetics of that area of the city.

“There used to be a myriad of complaints in relation to the odour and general appearance of the drain … now persons visiting the town can drive or walk at any given time without complaining,” Councillor Brown told JIS News.

She said the council was looking to replicate the idea across the parish.

“This is something that the St. James Parish Council is presently looking at introducing to other areas such as Albion Lane, Canterbury and Railway Lane of Montego Bay,” said Councillor Brown .

The Civic and Community Affairs Committee chairman said that the drain cleaning initiative has been made possible through the collaborative efforts of the

St James Parish Council and the National Solid Waste Management Authority.