Town Clerk, Royston will be seeking an increase in the fines being paid for littering at the next statutory meeting of the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown. Litter bugs currently pay a $10,000 fine if found guilty.In a statement on Monday King said the Mayor and City Council continues to put in place measures that facilitate a cleaner and greener Georgetown. This is vital to public health and safety and the image and reputation of the nation’s Capital, he said. “As a result, the Town Clerk has indicated that he will approach Council at its first Statutory meeting with a proposal to upgrade Council’s littering by-laws. This would be done under section 304 of the Municipal and District Councils Act 28:01.”

According to King the proposal seeks to increase the fine for littering and to introduce the ticketing system, which stipulates that litter-bugs pay on increased fine, to the Council 72 hours from the time notice is given of the imposition of the fine. Failure to pay the stipulated fine attracts an additional fine for every 24hours payment remains outstanding.

He added that littering continues to be a major issue in the city. “The collection and disposal of litter from our roadways and parapets account for a substantial portion of Council’s expenditure. Council expended in the final quarter of 2016 a sum of approximately $48M to aid in curbing this unfriendly environmental habit, which poses serious public health inconveniences to all citizens of Georgetown and interferes with the reputation and image of the city of Georgetown. Many of our canals are blocked by litter thrown by litter bugs, who substitute these water-ways for receptacles.”

According to King during 2016, several of Council drainage pumps were damaged as a result of waste being deposited in our waterways. The Council is also appealing to businesses not to use our litter bins along our parapets to dispose commercial waste; they should wait on the collection trucks. Those who dump heavy waste in these bins are destroying them and contributing to an unwholesome situation in the city.