THIRTEEN cases, mainly building breaches, were mentioned yesterday during the first sitting of the Portmore Municipal Court, presided over by Resident Magistrate Simone Maddix.

The Portmore Municipal Council has, since earlier this year, stepped up its campaign against those accused of breaching the Town and Country Planning Act.

Among the cases called before the court yesterday was that of Donnette Mmere, who, along with her husband, Paschal, operate the Little Angels Child Development Centre in the West Cumberland housing scheme.

She has been accused of breaching Section 23b of the Town and Country Planning Act. Mmere’s case was put off until October 25.

Mmere’s attorney, Antoinette Haughton-Cardenas, told the Observer that the court was operating in breach of the law.

“The court is operating in the midst of a residential community,” Haughton-Cardenas said as she pointed to a house across the street from the courthouse which had an unfinished upper floor.

The sitting of the court was held at Queens Park in Greater Portmore.

Yesterday’s opening of the Municipal Court, a division of the St Catherine Resident Magistrate’s Court, was attended by Portmore mayor George Lee.