SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — The skeletal frame of the old building’s second floor tells the chilling tale of how much asbestos material had comprised the old, abandoned police station in Bull Savannah, South

East St Elizabeth.

Over several months, starting in January of this year, the potentially cancer-causing material was painstakingly removed from the roof and walls of the building said to be over 50 years old.

The New Building Co-operative, a trained team with considerable experience in asbestos removal in St Elizabeth, first “wrapped” the tainted old building in reinforced plastic as a method of containment before carefully removing the hazardous material.

The co-operative acted in “partnership” with the St Elizabeth Parish Council, which this year finally harnessed the “necessary resources” to remove the asbestos after years of trying.

They were pushed by Councillor Cetany Holness (JLP, Junction Division) who lobbied unrelentingly.

When the Jamaica Observer Central spoke with him by telephone recently, a satisfied Holness said his next mission would be to ensure that the “healthy” remains of the old building are converted to a post office as had been the original intention when the asbestos taint was discovered in 2008.

Holness recalled that former MP for SE St Elizabeth Len Blake (PNP) had first conceived the idea of using the building as a post office, his successor Frank Witter (JLP) was trying to follow up when the asbestos taint was discovered, while current MP Richard Parchment (PNP) had pledged to complete the project once funds

are available.

“I have to do my best to make sure the MP keep to his word,” said Holness.

The old police station was abandoned when the Ministry of National Security made the strategic switch from Bull Savannah to a new facility in neighbouring, fast-growing Junction in 2005.

Following the discovery of the asbestos taint in 2008, health fears escalated when the authorities realised that a mentally ill man was vandalising the building. Residents also reported that school children regularly threw stones at the building and through the windows.

Asbestos was once favoured as a building material across the globe but health experts now say its dispersed fibres can cause cancer. Despite the dangers, there are still

no laws prohibiting asbestos in Jamaica.

Many of those living close to the tainted building have been generally laid back and noncommittal in relation to talk of health risks. This is despite suggestions from some that there had been a seeming surge in cancer-related deaths in the neighbourhood over recent years.

When the Observer Central visited last Monday, one resident, Eddie Edwards, said it was good that the authorities had acted at last.

“Since dem say it nuh good fi wi health, mi glad dem move it (asbestos),” Edwards said.