They are breaking the law with impunity

Mayor Brown insists that all tenants were served with demolition notices:
They are breaking the law with impunity

By JOELINE THOMAS

THE Mayor of Port of Spain Murchison Brown has confirmed to TnT Mirror that every tenant whose address appeared on a recent demolition list was served with a notice, prior to the addresses being published in the Press.

Brown further pointed out that the tenant at No. 48 Mucurapo Road whose property had been partially demolished last December, had received several notices to stop building before the Port of Spain City Corporation (PoSCC) demolition crew was sent in.

He insisted that the owner continued to build, despite the warnings.

Mayor MURCHISON BROWN

Mayor
MURCHISON
BROWN

“That was why a demolition crew was sent across to the property to commence demolition,” Brown told Mirror.

The Mayor reiterated: “Several notices had been sent for them to stop work and they continued to build, breaking the law with impunity.”

According to the expose in last Sunday’s Mirror, a PoSCC crew moved into the Mucurapo Road property one morning and began demolishing part of the building.

No. 48 Mucurapo Road

No. 48 Mucurapo Road.

“The workmen came to the compound and just started to rip the place apart,” one of the employees of an accounting firm which occupies the building told Mirror.

“I am not sure if the owner received any notice from PoSCC that they were coming to demolish because he seemed as shocked as us when the crew started to break us down.

“They refused to stop demolishing when asked to and as a result the owner proceeded to phone the mayor.”

But Mayor Brown insisted, when he spoke to Mirror: “These tenants know fully well that they are supposed to be approved by the specific bodies -- Town and Country and PoSCC -- before they commence construction.

“However, the various property owners often decide to use the shorter way out by only receiving approval from one of the bodies involved and this is where the violation comes into effect.

“That demolition at Mucurapo Road was fully approved by me.”

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Archives | Feedback | Friday Mirror Home | Sunday Mirror Home | Go Back