Dear Editor,

I am happy to see that the long-awaited Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) will roll out this week. Each member of parliament has been asked to submit a project for consideration. The spending limit for each project is $10 million. The obvious choice for St James Central must be the cleaning of the North Gully.

The North Gully is in an abominable state. It has become a garbage dump and a toilet, and is an eyesore in the centre of Jamaica's tourism capital. This garbage is disposed of only when there is heavy rainfall. It flows into the sea and pollutes our waters.

I know that MP Lloyd B Smith has been looking at the North Gully. I heard him speak at a recent function and think that his plans to cover the lower parts of the gully and use them for parking are good. This will also provide a suitable location for a

much-needed taxi stand which will alleviate traffic problems in the parish capital. That, however, is an infrastructural project which will probably have to be funded by his Constituency Development Fund.

The immediate priority must be cleaning the gully. It is a disaster in our midst. The next step must be providing suitable garbage disposal options to the many citizens who live on both sides of its course, and educating them to prevent its recurrence.

This is a perfect opportunity for politics to improve the quality of life for residents in Montego Bay while beautifying the town centre and contributing to proper hygiene.

Let's make JEEP work for everyone.

Simon Casserly

simon.casserly@gmail.com