MONTEGO BAY, St James — Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon has slapped down a plan outlined by Opposition spokesman on citizen security and productivity, Senator Peter Bunting, for how a People’s National Party (PNP) Government would deal with the long-running Bogue lands issue.

“The recent statements made by Mr Peter Bunting regarding the distribution of the council’s property to occupiers raised several important concerns. It is critical to fact-check these claims to ensure that the public is not misled by baseless and spurious promises,’” Vernon, who is chairman of St James Municipal Corporation, said in a statement on Saturday.

Last Wednesday, during a business meeting arranged by caretaker candidate for St James West Central Dr Andre Haughton, Bunting promised occupiers that, under a PNP Administration, the minister of housing would act swiftly to facilitate sale of the land, at a fair price, to those who have used it for commercial purposes for decades.

“We don’t have to wait on parish council, we will not have to wait, because the minister of housing is a corporation sole and he can take over this community, and do what is necessary to ensure that the current occupants and those that’ll be here for decades get justice in terms of their tenure,” Bunting said then.

Mayor Vernon disagreed.

“The PNP’s candidate assertion that a future minister of housing could unilaterally take over the property is misleading,” he noted.

“The minister can only exercise this authority if the property is needed for public purposes and the landowner is compensated. Additionally, while a minister can declare areas for housing under the Housing Act, the Bogue lands is designated as a commercial space,” Vernon added.

He said Bunting’s comments have raised questions about the legitimate authority that any PNP-appointed housing minister would have if that route were followed.

“Let’s be clear, the property in question is not Crown land, it is owned by the St James Municipal Corporation. This ownership means that any decision regarding its future must adhere to established legal frameworks and procedures,” the mayor insisted.

The issue involves 26 lots of land at Bogue Industrial Estate that are occupied by commercial interests, some for more than 30 years.

During that time there have been various attempts to resolve the matter of ownership.

“Cabinet decision number 3705 dated December 19, 2005 granted approval for the corporation to sell this property to the occupying residents. This decision followed a commission of enquiry ordered by former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller after she conceded that the land occupation was an act of corruption,” Vernon said.

He stressed that divestment of the land is a far more complicated issue than being touted.

“My question is why wasn’t it executed during their time; Bunting was a cabinet minister. This raises serious doubts about the party’s reliability and commitment to fulfilling its promises,” Vernon declared.

He noted that steps have been taken to sell the land, but there have been “significant challenges”.

“We have been trying to sell them the properties. Notably, in 2014, the then PNP-led council attempted to sell the property using a 2009 valuation, an out-dated figure,” the mayor said.

“Councillor Charles Sinclair rightly objected, at the time, to this approach citing nepotism, which prompted the Office of the Contractor General — now the Integrity Commission — to intervene,” he said.

Last week, Bunting insisted that a fair sale price would have to reflect any capital occupiers have pumped into the land over the years. But in his release, Vernon spoke of the need for prudence in disposing of the property.

“The asset belongs to the people of St James. If we give it away, what will be used to develop the market for our food, the multi-storey car park for improved mobility, and infrastructure for our street vendors to sell with dignity?” he asked.

A 2017 proposal said the municipal corporation stood to gain $500 million from the sale at that time. Land prices have increased significantly since then.