M&CC renews call to rid city of derelict buildings

Jun 17, 2019 News

The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has renewed calls for derelict buildings to be repaired or torn down. Last week, City Engineer, Colvern Venture noted that worn down buildings pose a threat to both passersby and occupants.
He said however, that they would have to work with persons while some owners would be given seven days to demolish or start repair works on the buildings that are vacant. Venture said that there is no specific time span given to all owners of derelict buildings to meet certain requirements.
“There are some buildings that are actually in the courts. You have issues of family disputes over some properties and so those we can’t force a timeframe on it but we will expect that the courts will also take into consideration, the threat to life and limb in dealing with some of these matters,” he said.
While the building inspectors face those challenges, they also face challenges in tracking down owners of the buildings, as some would have seen a change in ownership.
Last April, Mayor Ubraj Narine, had said he remains firm in his drive to seek and demolish all dilapidated buildings in and around the city. He had said that the Engineering Department will spearhead the campaign and use Mayor and City Council Inspectors designated for that purpose.
According to the Narine, inspectors will be designated to earmark strategic locations, and upon locating dilapidated buildings, these will be demolished, of course within the confines of laws that govern same.
He said that while such buildings are becoming more than an eyesore around the city, such abandoned structures have become a safe haven for drug addicts and criminal elements that use them as stakeout locations, and even as locations to store booty.
He noted that such structures in many cases, especially if in a ruinous state, can pose a danger to occupants and members of the public.
Not so long ago, the Mayor and City Council had announced that it was going to tear down 52 derelict buildings but occupants of some of the structures had lamented that they were unaware of such plans.

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