People’s National Party (PNP) representative for North West St Ann, Dr Michael Whittingham, says while he welcomes the construction of the Bahia Principé hotel, which would boost the economic base of his constituency, such a development should not take place at all cost.

“I am 100 per cent in support of the development and I want this hotel to be done, I want it to be finished,” Whittingham told the Observer. “I want it to provide the great economic base for the development of North West St Ann that it will provide once completed, but I don’t believe it should be done at any cost.”

Whittingham was speaking against the background of the death of a worker, Linval Mitchell, after a section of the unfinished building collapsed on Wednesday. A total of 16 persons were injured during the accident, with three still in hospital.

The mishap was the second such incident at the hotel in three months and prompted a lock-down of the site by the St Ann Parish Council and an investigation by the labour ministry.

Yesterday, the state news agency, JIS News, said that the government should receive a detailed report on the accident in two weeks.

According to JIS News, the minister of information and development, Senator Colin Campbell, met yesterday morning at Jamaica House with representatives of the Pinero Group, builders of the 1,918-room hotel.

Campbell said he would be holding discussions with the ministers of labour & social security, and local government & environment to put in place a regime to ensure strict adherence to safety and health practices at all major project sites, and the rigid enforcement of these measures.

He said that Pinero Group representatives have met with Mitchell’s family and “comprehensive arrangements” have been made for the welfare of those affected, including aftercare through the company’s nursing station.

In addition to insurance compensation for the workers and their families, “compassionate resources” have been made available for them and the developers would also cover Mitchell’s funeral expenses, Campbell said.

The PNP’s Whittingham, while offering condolences to the family of the victims, described the incident as unfortunate and said many accidents are preventable.

“With proper monitoring, better observation, better surveillance and better preparation, the accident. could have been avoided,” said Whittingham.

He also said that complaints by workers about poor working conditions at the site are being addressed to some extent.

“There are aspects of working conditions that need to be seriously addressed,” said Whittingham. “.following the disturbance some weeks ago .some matters have been brought to the surface and those matters, I believe, are being addressed and corrective measures taken.”

Whittingham was referring to a riot that broke out on July 10 at the site after monthly-paid workers learnt that their pay, which they had previously complained was too small, would have been delayed for a week. During the riot, three persons were shot and injured.