PM says he has no power to keep Cooper’s Pen residents on land
TRELAWNY, Jamaica – Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness told residents of Cooper’s Pen in Trelawny, whose houses were demolished earlier this month, that he has no power to keep them on the land.
He made the revelation to the residents during a tour of the community Friday, accompanied by Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett and Member of Parliament for Trelawny Northern, Tova Hamilton.
Before beginning the tour of the demolished area, the prime minister spoke with residents and told them he would meet with them again after the tour.
He said he would announce possible solutions following the tour.
On August 11, some 20 houses were demolished in the community, leaving roughly 20 families homeless and affecting approximately 40 families overall.
Since the demolition, residents have staged two separate demonstrations calling for the prime minister’s intervention and assistance.
– Horace Hines
