Taskieka Mair, Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
ST. JAMES Parish Council officials led by Mayor Noel Donaldson yesterday served notice, under the Public Nuisance Act, on the owners of two derelict buildings in Montego Bay.
The buildings, located on Gloucester Avenue and Tate Street have been abandoned for several years and are in a deplorable condition.
Mayor Donaldson told The Gleaner that the decision to serve notice on the owners came about after intensive research into legislation available to the Council in such circumstances. He said that the problem of derelict buildings has persisted for many years and it was not until recently that the Council realised that it could take measures to have them demolished or sold.
BUILDINGS A NUISANCE
"We have to give notice to the owners, that these buildings are a nuisance and that they need to take action to cure the nuisance," Mayor Donaldson said.
"Following that, if there is no action or positive response then we will have to move to the court to seek an order permitting the council to either demolish and/or dispose of the property.
"We may have to demolish it prior to getting a sale because right now it is in a terrible condition so we would recover the cost incurred during the demolition process," he explained.
One building houses Montego Bike Rentals and is owned by Paul Yone who currently resides in Miami, and another, which houses a motor vehicle repair shop, is in the care of George Gardener.
Mr. Donaldson contended that parish councils in general are ignorant of legislation at their disposal to rid communities of public nuisances.
"One of the things that we have discovered is that there are numerous laws on the books that no (parish) council in Jamaica has ever utilised," said Mayor Donaldson.
The notice served expires in 14 days and if no action is taken on the part of the persons notified, the Council can take the matter to the Resident Magistrates or Supreme Court.
