Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said changes to the Litter Act are to go before Cabinet for approval shortly.
He said the proposed amendments provide for, among other things, an increase in fines for littering.
“While we are working to make the country clean, we have to bring to book those who continue to spoil the beauty of the country,” he said.
Minister McKenzie was speaking to JIS News at the National Labour Day Project at the Gregory Park Basic School in Portmore, St. Catherine.
He noted the significance of the national project, which included major clean-up activities in the Gregory Park and Washington Mews communities.
He said the areas were shown to have a large number of mosquito breeding sites.
“Jamaicans have to recognise and accept that we are a tropical country, so we are prone to many of the problems associated with mosquitoes and it is going to be important that as a people we are committed to having a clean Jamaica,” he said.
Labour Day was observed under the theme: ‘For Health’s Sake…Keep It Clean’.