Fines Coming For Entertainers Who Deface Public Spaces

A number of dancehall artiste including up-and-comer Safira Mono could soon find herself in the crosshairs of the St Catherine Parish Council as the municipality cranks up its campaign to clean up public spaces.

"We will be stepping up our ticketing campaign within the next two weeks, where we will be aggressively going after members of the public who litter and defile public spaces. We will be getting assistance from Kingston to deal with the graffiti and littering," William Malabver, compliance and enforcement officer at the council, said.

Malabver said the campaign will also pay particular attention to people who urinate in public.

Under the National Solid Waste Management Act, a person can be fined $3,000 for putting up a poster or graffiti or defacing a public building or any structure in a public place.

It is also an offence to employ or recruit persons to put banners or graffiti on walls or deface properties. That offence carries a $10,000 fine.

"LA Lewis is all over the place. He should pay some good money. And we are aware of others like Safira Mono," Malabver said.

However, Safira Mono has denied being associated with the graffiti bearing her name in Spanish Town, Portmore, and the Corporate Area.

"My overzealous fans are the ones who have been doing it, especially with the success of my films and my single and video, Monitor. I have no control over it, but I am asking them to cease and desist from doing anymore in the future," she said.

Although he was fined by the National Solid Waste Management Authority in 2011, LA Lewis has consistently denied being behind the posting of graffiti across the Corporate Area.