Manchester developers get amnesty to regularise building breaches

By Kimone Witter    

 

Developers in Manchester, who are in breach of the Building Act regulations, have until August 30 to regularise their activities.

 

The Manchester Municipal Corporation has launched a Special Amnesty Programme to encourage voluntary compliance for all building operations.

 

In a public notice in the Sunday Gleaner on May 5, the municipal corporation said the programme will allow for speedy approval and 50 per cent discount on breach fees, with the exception of commercial developments.

 

In a subsequent interview with Radio Jamaica News, Donovan Mitchell, Chairman of the Manchester Municipal Corporation, stressed that the drive - which is aimed at having orderly development across the parish - is not a money making venture. 

 

"You will notice that amnesty says that commercial buildings are not in it. We are not giving any discount or whatever to commercial buildings. If a man can build commercial buildings for shops and things, it therefore means he has the wherewithal to send in the plan and to do the right thing. The little man on the street, or the little man who has the one bedroom and two bedroom, those are the people we're trying to regularise and to make sure that everything is done.... It's not money, it's about proper planning within the parish of Manchester," he insisted. 

 

Mr. Mitchell said there are building breaches across the parish. 

 

"Why we have such proliferation, especially on the south in some areas, is that persons are doing what we call 'build to catch'. So these houses are not being built with any steel in them and any right thing in them. And so when Jamalco goes in, if they are going to be buying a property somewhere, there's a house there, but it's not built accordingly," he sought to explain.     

 

Mr. Mitchell said the Manchester Municipal Corporation is pursuing cases against several individuals in court.

 

At the end of the amnesty, which started on May 1, the Manchester Municipal Corporation says it will embark on an aggressive enforcement drive, with legal action to be pursued where necessary.