Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
News
Garfield Myers | Observer Writer  
August 24, 2007

PM to look at building restrictions if re-elected

MANDEVILLE, Manchester – Land usage and appropriate restrictions “on where people can build” will be high on her agenda should the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) be returned to political power following the upcoming parliamentary elections, says Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller.

“This is one of the things that I am going to be dealing with early in my new term [in] office,” Simpson Miller said on Thursday following post-hurricane visits to informal housing settlements known as Top Bay and Bottom Bay in Alligator Pond.

“We have to take a decision… I think we have to put a restriction on where people can build as we protect the natural and built environment, we (also) need to protect the areas not yet occupied,” she told journalists.

Simpson Miller was particularly perturbed by conditions at Top Bay – a community of several hundred, located on a sand bank above Alligator Pond that is without an access road, running water and electricity.

The prime minister was told by residents that the passage of Hurricane Dean had significantly worsened their plight with the destruction of several homes. She met Hylton Brown, an elderly Top Bay resident, whose face still showed the bruises from injuries he received when an ackee tree fell on his house trapping him beneath.

Up slope from the shambles of Brown’s house, a set of concrete steps stood in the sand as a lonely monument to a three-bedroom house, which was destroyed by powerful winds as Hurricane Dean passed just south of Alligator Pond on Sunday.

Simpson Miller said that quite apart from hurricane relief she would be instructing the National Water Commission (NWC) to immediately begin the trucking of water to the residents of the informal communities.

She pointed out that informal settlements were not the only ones to which the Government would have to pay attention as it moves to address appropriate construction and land usage.

“When we look at Caribbean Terrace, what happened there during Ivan and now Dean we have to take a decision and also Portland Cottage and a number of other areas,… we need to take some serious decisions on it and I am ready to deal with this. We have to take some action and see if we can find some land appropriate that we can have people relocated…,” she said.

She said a major problem was that people often found it “difficult” and painful to leave their homes where they “had lived for a long time”, but she was encouraged by an increasing awareness of the inherent dangers of unplanned development.

“I think that if we work with the people we will get them to co-operate… it is going to take a partnership between the people and the state to get them relocated,” she said.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

JRA to stage 10th President’s Cup IPSC match this weekend
Latest News, News
JRA to stage 10th President’s Cup IPSC match this weekend
July 22, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Rifle Association (JRA) is set to host the 10th staging of its President's Cup Level III IPSC Match on Saturday, July ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
University student suspected of drowning in St Elizabeth identified
Latest News, News
University student suspected of drowning in St Elizabeth identified
July 22, 2026
ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Police on Wednesday identified a university student whose body washed ashore in Treasure Beach on Tuesday, a day after he repo...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
17-y-o suspected of committing suicide in northern Clarendon
Latest News, News
17-y-o suspected of committing suicide in northern Clarendon
July 22, 2026
CLARENDON, Jamaica— Police are probing a suspected case of suicide involving a 17-year-old college student in Carty Hill near James Hill in northern C...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Kingston Creative becomes first Caribbean recipient of UNESCO-Aschberg grant
Latest News, News
Kingston Creative becomes first Caribbean recipient of UNESCO-Aschberg grant
July 22, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kingston Creative has become the first non-governmental organisation in the Caribbean to receive funding under the UNESCO-Aschberg...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
KPH says measures implemented to address operational challenges
Latest News, News
KPH says measures implemented to address operational challenges
July 22, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) says it has implemented a series of measures to address recent operational challenges highlighted i...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Festival Song finalist hopes ‘Jamaica pon di App’ marks a fresh start after two crashes
Entertainment, Latest News
Festival Song finalist hopes ‘Jamaica pon di App’ marks a fresh start after two crashes
BY HOWARD CAMPBELL 
July 22, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — After surviving two motor vehicle crashes earlier this year, Festival Song finalist Bovia is hoping her entry, Jamaica pon di App ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Woman killed, man drinks poison in MoBay
Latest News, News
Woman killed, man drinks poison in MoBay
July 22, 2026
ST JAMES, Jamaica — A man is said to be in hospital after ingesting what appeared to be a poisonous substance while his wife is dead from chop wounds....
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Allen calls for tougher enforcement to keep unsafe motorcycle helmets out of Jamaica
Latest News, News
Allen calls for tougher enforcement to keep unsafe motorcycle helmets out of Jamaica
July 22, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Claudine Allen, general manager of the JN Foundation, is urging government to move swiftly to enforce Jamaica's new motorcycle hel...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct