St Ann councillors want old Cave Valley chimney demolished
Several councillors in the St Ann Municipal Corporation have asked that the council move with urgency to demolish a dilapidated chimney in Cave Valley, St Ann, which could possibly claim lives in the event that it collapses.
The structure, said to be a heritage site and a property of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), is to be demolished at the organisation’s expense, but they are seemingly not prepared to pay $1.4 million to have it mowed down.
“When I last spoke to the National Heritage Trust they said they were going to send a form to the council and then we should send it back to them so they can grant the approval and knock it down,” said Councillor Winston Brown (Borrobridge Division, People’s National Party [PNP]).
However, Mayor of St Ann’s Bay Sydney Stewart was quick to inform Brown that they council had done its part and the form was sent back to JNHT.
“The form was sent to them but I think they are just trying to avoid absorbing the cost. But we are going to give them an ultimatum today because that structure has to be knocked down,” he said, adding that the council will make provisions to find over a million dollars that is needed for demolition.
“We don’t have a choice, we have to make sure that the public is safe,” said Stewart.
Councillor of the Claremont Division Lambert Weir (PNP) suggested that the council consider cheaper methods.
“There are more than one way to take it down, I suggest we use two dynamite which will not cost more than 400 thousand,” he said
Councillor Brown, quite concerned for the people of his division, said that the structure should be treated as an area of a potential disaster.
“We are the authority in charge of disaster, not them [JNHT] and it is a disaster waiting to happen. So we have to do what is necessary to get rid of it. I receive call from personnel in Noranda Bauxite Company asking what we the council plan to do about it, because the thing is gonna fall down and take people life,” said Brown.
“We need to make to make a decision here and just write to them and let them know that we will be demolishing with immediate effect,” added Councillor Genevor Gordon-Bailey of the Lime Hall Division (JLP).
