MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Mayor of Mandeville Donovan Mitchell says building breaches are parish-wide here even as he pointed to a special amnesty programme launched for developers to regularise their activities.

“It is not about money, it is about doing proper planning. Persons have built in drains [blocking the flow of water]. Persons are not building according to what their titles say. What I find is that there are numerous modifications that people are seeking on their titles,” he said.

Mitchell was speaking to reporters Monday about the amnesty, which is expected to end in August.

“One of the problems we have, especially in the south, is that persons are doing what we call ‘build to catch’. These houses are not being built with any steel in them, so when Jamalco goes in if they are going to be buying a property somewhere, there is a house, but it wasn’t built accordingly,” he explained.

“I will say to the people who are building to do so according to plan. I am just asking people to come in regularise, during the amnesty, and do what has to be done. We are asking those who have built without plans to just come in and talk to us. Let us look at regularisation,” added Mitchell.

He said the amnesty does not apply to commercial buildings.

“We are not giving any discount for commercial buildings. If a man can build a commercial building for shops, it therefore means he has the wherewithal to send in the plan and to do the right thing,” he said.

“The little man who has a one or two-bedroom, those are the people we are trying to regularise and to make sure that everything is done [right]. After 31 st of August, we can’t say what will happen. I will say at this time that we have individuals in court regarding no approval of planning and building without the proper papers, and all of that. We are pursuing them in court. Right now we are asking the court for a demolition of a building because it is being built right where there is water retention,” added Mitchell.