More than a dozen persons have been arrested and charged in recent weeks for urinating in public areas in the Corporate Area.

The police have been cracking down on the persons who breach the Towns and Communities Act by exposing their persons and making the air unpleasant by urinating in open public spaces.

Deputy Commandant at the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF), Neville George, told THE STAR yesterday that the persons were arrested and charged for breaches committed in the Corporate Area. "Our men have been briefed and have been carrying out special operations with a view of curtailing this practice," he said.

The police in the Corporate Area, Dpt. Commandant George said, are on the lookout for persons who commit the breach in the Half-Way Tree, Cross Roads and downtown Kingston areas. He said that, while the men and women under his watch have been given instructions to be vigilant and to adopt a zero tolerance approach, the police are engaged in warning the men.

The scent of urine and faeces in public spaces has been a sore problem, especially at the St. William Grant Park, downtown Kingston.

On Sunday, THE STAR observed a fire unit from the York Park Fire Station hosing down the perimeter wall of the St. William Grant Park. One fireman told our news team that the work is Cricket World Cup-related.

Law is unfair

The fireman said the exercise was aimed at washing away the stale smell of urine which stains the area.

An old man blamed young men whom he said used the walls as urinals. In corroborating police claims about arrests being made, he said that in recent weeks he has observed police slapping handcuffs on several persons and taking them away for "renking up di place."

One 23-year-old, who admits to urinating in public, feels the law is unfair. He told THE STAR, "I believe the law makes no sense. You can't prosecute people and there aren't enough proper facilities in the first place. You go to a place like Half-Way Tree where there are 100s and 1000s of people and no proper restrooms. When people have urges they can't do any better."

Desmond McKenzie, Mayor of Kingston, three years ago called for the fine for urinating in a public place to be increased from the current $1,000 to $20,000 as a deterrent to such acts. He said the police need to start taking action against those who urinate against Kingston's walls.

Dpt. Commandant George said the police have become more vigilant in recent weeks, but have noted that many persons refuse to use public sanitary conveniences because they are often in a state of disrepair.