Morris again calls for UDC chairman’s resignation over alleged building breaches
Opposition Senator Professor Floyd Morris is again calling for the immediate resignation of Chairman of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), Norman Brown.
Morris’ call comes against the backdrop of an Integrity Commission (IC) investigation which uncovered alleged building breaches at a development linked to Brown.
The IC alleged that Estatebridge Holdings Limited, where Brown is a director, violated the approved building plans for a residential development at 2 Weycliffe Close in Beverly Hills, St Andrew. The permit issued by the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) in 2021 allowed for the construction of four two-bedroom townhouses. However, the IC allegedly found that four four-bedroom townhouses were being built instead, a breach the Commission deemed deliberate.
According to the IC, Brown was aware of the violations before giving a statement to the Commission on December 4, 2023.
During last Friday’s sitting of the Senate, Morris called for Brown’s resignation.
“It is a disgrace!” Morris declared. “If we are going to win back the trust and the confidence of the Jamaican people, people have to be held accountable for their actions.”
Following the recent revelation by KSAMC Charman Andrew Swaby that Estatebridge violated the permit granted for the construction of four two-bedroom houses in Beverly Hills, Morris repeated his call for Brown’s resignation.
“We must ensure that consistent standards are upheld in governance. It cannot be the case that one individual is removed from their position for committing a similar offense, while another, politically connected, faces no consequences for their actions.
I am urging the Chairman of the HAJ (Housing Agency of Jamaica) and the UDC to uphold the integrity of our democratic processes and systems. The honourable course of action now is to resign, given the developments surrounding Estatebridge and its connections,” Morris said in a statement, adding “This situation is untenable and unacceptable, and it undermines the public’s confidence in the officeholder linked to Estate Bridge as one of its directors.”
