By Trudy Simpson, Staff Reporter 
Greene
POPULAR GAMING company Supreme Ventures, is among several prominent firms which may be forced to remove thousands of signs advertising their products if the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) goes ahead with plans to begin tearing down unapproved signage, starting today.
Town Clerk, Errol Greene, has confirmed that KSAC officials "don't have approval for one sign" from the company, although several areas have been peppered with signs inviting persons to play the "Lucky 5" and "Cash Pot" games of chance.
"We have been in contact with them (Supreme Ventures) and they are very unresponsive," Mr. Greene said. "We have already removed at least one (sign) from a KSAC property. Their lawyer has contacted us about that," the Town Clerk added.
The signs are said to have been put up by advertising and signage firm G-Tech Corporation, on behalf of Supreme Ventures. However, G-Tech's marketing manager, Gavin Beckford, did not respond to several calls The Gleaner made to his office last week, and managing director, Brian George, was said to be out of town.
Only a small number of signage companies have had their signs approved, despite the KSAC's threat to have them removed, the Town Clerk said. He could not immediately put a figure on the number of companies which have contacted the KSAC about getting approval for the illegal signs. Other KSAC officials said those which contacted the KSAC mostly represented the not-so-well-known signage companies. However, bigger companies appeared to be ignoring the warning, the officials said.
The KSAC has for the past two weeks been warning delinquent establishments and individuals to make efforts to get approval by June 3 or lose their business signs, billboards, banners and awnings.
Chairman of the Building and Town Planning Committee, Councillor Trevor Bernard, said it costs between $3,000 and $40,000 to get approval to erect signage, depending on the size and type of signage.
99% OF SIGNS UNAPPROVED
According to KSAC building officials, as many as 99 per cent of signs, including those identifying businesses, in Half-Way Tree, as well as New Kingston and Hag-ley Park Road have not been approved.
Among the "thousands" of signs which may come down are reportedly smaller signs advertising cellular provider Digicel's Digiflex cards, as well as those advertising armed rapid response companies, liquor and oil companies. Some of those signs are usually displayed in communities, bars, clubs and grocery shops. The KSAC said approval must be granted for such advertising.
"We are working with them on those signs and others like Carreras have been in touch with us to see how they can become compliant with (items) like their Craven 'A' ads," he said.
Other establishments could lose their signs because they reportedly owe millions of dollars to the KSAC for failing to pay for renewed permits. Many owners and operators of businesses have also failed to pay the KSAC to place signs on the owners' properties as well as properties owned by the Corporation.
Mr. Greene said that if they have not paid rental for the signs sitting on KSAC property, "they are coming down too."
Businesses are required to pay for permits every two years and the only signs exempt are those about four square feet and built into the wall of the property. Where signs have been posted across Highways and major roads, permission should be granted by the Ministry of Transport and Works.
Officials at the KSAC stressed that even where a sign has been removed from its original position as a result of road construction or for other reasons, a new application has to be made. The KSAC said persons found to be in violation of the law would be prosecuted, and that the cost of removing the unapproved signs, banners and billboards would have to be paid by delinquent establishments.
