Claudia Gardner, Gleaner Writer

Lucea, HANOVER:

There is controversy brewing, in Lucea, over the Hanover Parish Council's decision to relocate the Lucea Infirmary to the site of the Old Cholera Cemetery, at First Hill, in the town.

According to Councillor of the Cauldwell Division, Sheridan Samuels, the infirmary should be rebuilt at its current site on Watson Taylor Drive, as the area is private and more convenient to the inmates.

"It (proposed site) is not appropriate in terms of space. The place where they want to put it is clustered," Councillor Samuels told The Gleaner.

But secretary/manager of the Hanover Parish Council, Alfred Graham, maintains that Ministry of Local Government representatives visited the site and consider it 'suitable' and the size adequate. He said the present buildings were irreparable and that ministry officials had recommended complete reconstruction.

"They (ministry officials) have also suggested the infirmary's current site is prime real estate and we should look at divesting and using the proceeds to assist with the relocation and construction," Mr. Graham said. "If we were to reconstruct the infirmary on the current site, where would we relocate these persons during the construction?"

But Mr. Samuels is contending that the value of the property should not be an issue, as the council has alternative means of garnering funds.

Other major stakeholders in the parish have agreed that the current site of the infirmary is prime seafront land, but expressed mixed views about the manner in which the council took the decision.

"They have not brought their decision to the Parish Development Committee (PDC) at all," said Nerris Hawthorne, chairman of the Hanover PDC.

In responding to health concerns that excavation at the cemetery may cause, Mr. Graham said the Public Health Department had informed the council "some time ago that there was no risk".