CHRISTIANA, Manchester — Mandeville Mayor Donovan Mitchell says, effective today, there will be a clampdown on unapproved buildings and illegal vending, as part of enforcement activities in the south-central town of Christiana.

“Yesterday (Wednesday) I came into Christiana and as the chairman of the local Board of Health I spent about five hours walking the streets of Christiana. I visited the abattoir. I visited the market. I visited the transportation centre. I looked at some businesses [and] buildings going up. I know at the council meeting early this month I made a statement and some people are up in arms and all of that… What is happening in the parish will not continue,” he said on Thursday while addressing the launch of Sam Fo Meats mobile application on Wildman Street in Christiana.

“I said it yesterday (Wednesday) to my team that Wildman Street, please be prepared, because I am going to be changing the entire look of Wildman Street. There will absolutely be no selling on the street. I am warning the businesses that are putting their sewage and grey water into our water channels to stop and stop before tomorrow [Friday] morning, because a team from the public health service will be coming out and we are going to make sure it cannot continue,” added Mitchell.

Mandeville Mayor Donovan Mitchell addressing the launch of Sam Fo Meats mobile app on Wildman Street in Christiana on Thursday.

He pointed to the public safety concerns and hazards of waste water flowing on the busy commercial street.

“You cannot be walking on the street and all you are seeing is grey water. Businesses can’t build their buildings and put their grey water on the street. What about our children, the elderly? You are walking and miss your step in soap water and you break your leg and the first thing is they call the parish council,” said Mitchell, who chairs the Manchester Municipal Corporation.

Mandeville Mayor Donovan Mitchell standing inside the Christiana abattoir which could be closed for renovation.

“I am warning people who are building houses without plans from the Manchester Municipal Corporation. I am not holding bar; you have to do better. When a building collapses because you have not done the correct thing, who is the first person you blame? Government. Where was the Government when you were building? Not around, because you put zinc all around your place and you do what you have to do and when you are finished you open up the zinc and you see a building there that has not gone through the proper channel,” added Mitchell.

Pertaining to the Christiana abattoir, Mitchell said he is contemplating closing it for renovations.

“We are having some problems and I will tell you that maybe, based on the letters I am getting from the health services, I may have to close it even temporarily to make sure that things go right. I am warning, since I am in Christiana, that things are not going to be the same in Christiana. There has to be some changes,” declared Mitchell.