St Catherine councillors clash over demolition near Clifton
SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine — There was a spirited debate during the most recent monthly meeting of the St Catherine Municipal Corporation as councillors weighed in on the demolition of illegally constructed structures erected on lands adjacent to Clifton near Greater Bernard Lodge.
The arguments were, predictably, along party lines, with People’s National Party (PNP) councillors saying Prime Minister Andrew Holness had failed to act in the best interest of those whose structures were destroyed.
Councillor Leroy Dunn (Jamaica Labour Party, Guy’s Hill Division) elicited howls of protest when he sought to stave off the discussion by pointing out that the issue had already been extensively addressed in the nation’s Parliament.
Among those who still had something to say on the topic was Spanish Town Mayor Norman Scott.
“There should have been some form of due process to try and rectify those wrongs. In fact, two wrongs cannot make it right,” said Councillor Scott (PNP, Greendale Division).
He argued that it was particularly troubling to see the demolition of houses that belong to people “who are trying their very best to have a roof over their heads, most of whom will never be able to afford a [high-end, Kingston-based] Ruthven Apartment”.
However, Councillor Dunn hit back, saying the Government had acted in the best interest of the country.
“I want to say to you and your colleagues and every well-thinking Jamaican that… the actions that were taken at Clifton were not as a result of the Government oppressing poor people,” he explained. “It was a clear threat that the Jamaican State would have foreseen and taken the necessary actions to remove it.”
He was referring to the prime minister’s explanation that criminal elements were illegally selling the land near Clifton and their activities in the area presented a threat to national security.
However, Dunn’s comment did not sit well with Councillor Sydney Rose (PNP, Treadways Division). During an interview with the Jamaica Observer after the meeting, he chided Holness for his handling of the matter.
“In my opinion, the prime minister has no authority to carry out the demolition exercise. He continues to behave very autocratically, and he needs to stop,” said Rose. “I am not in favour of anyone occupying lands that are not owned by them; however, this matter should have been handled in court.”
