May Pen BID giving town a 'better look'

The May Pen Business Improvement District (BID) was formed to address the many socio-economic challenges facing the town of May Pen.

Now a registered entity with the Companies Office of Jamaica, BID, chaired by businessman Tony Smatt with membership from the business community in the town as well as from the Clarendon Municipal Corporation, the National Solid Waste Management Authority, the Social Development Commission and other public entities, has been making a big difference in the town.

Smatt told The Gleaner that the BID has been impacting May Pen by giving it a "better look and feel".

"So far, we have installed 60 garbage containers throughout the town, with one being allocated for plastic bottles," he informed.

Smatt said the team is also working closely with the police to ensure that law and order is maintained in the town.

Public relations officer for BID, Damion Young, said BID will also be addressing other issues, such as the decayed road structure pertaining to drainage as well as issues relating to security and the difficulty faced when trying to navigate the town.

"Our ultimate aim is to see a more organised, cleaner, friendlier commercial space that shoppers and visitors alike can feel welcomed and believe that they are in a modern town," said Young.

He said the model for the BID came from a study that was done in Canada as well as the USA and Europe.

"We made sure that we found a way to make this model best suited for our space."

Town more comfortable

The concept is not unique to Jamaica, as Young said it was tried in a section of Kingston, although he is uncertain whether it still exists.

"Both former and current mayors believe this model is going to do wondrous things in May Pen. The streets are cleaner and persons going through feel a little more comfortable," shared Young, who pointed out that persons are already giving positive feedback on the new look of the town.

The process for the BID was started in early 2016 under then mayor of May Pen, Scean Barnswell, and further strengthened by the current mayor, Winston Maragh, who said he made a commitment to do everything in his power to make the programme a success.

He disclosed that there are plans under way to replicate it in the other towns in the parish this year.