KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, says he is satisfied with the approach taken by the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAC) in approving a private development on lands that were once the old Cholera Cemetery in St Andrew.

The minister said that the KSAC Municipal Corporation sought and received formal advice from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Ministry of Health, prior to its decision to approve the project.

He also stated that he recently met with the KSAC and relevant stakeholders, and all matters pertinent to the development were thoroughly discussed.

“I am aware of concerns expressed in the public domain, that the historical fact that the lands in question, more than a century ago, received the remains of Cholera victims, presents a health risk for people today,” McKenzie said in a release today.

“In this regard, I must emphasize that, in addition to the assurances I received from the stakeholders during my consultations with them, the Ministry of Health issued clear written advice, as late as last year, that there is no such risk. I am satisfied therefore that the decision and actions of the KSAC are sound,” McKenzie said.

Concern has been raised over development work on the cemetery, where victims of an 1860 cholera outbreak are buried. The land has been partially cleared and what appears to be drilling equipment is in place on the property located at Waterloo Road and West Kings House Road.

KSAC Town Clerk Robert Hill says that approval was granted in September for work to be done on the land.

“For a commercial concern to be established at that site, both NEPA and the Public Health (Department) would have cleared the area and environment of any public health risk and that is what also led to the decision of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation in granting the approval for the complex to be developed,” Hill said.

He added that KSAC city engineers will be monitoring it as usual, and any adverse reports will be dealt with. He said the approval given to the developers would last two years, within which time they are permitted to start their project.

Balford Henry