Saturday, August 18 2012

THE EDITOR: The recent rains in Diego Martin again comes with renewed calls by councillors for more action against unauthorised construction. And the councillors, via the media call for more action by the Government. But who is responsible for the unauthorised construction?

Town and Country Planning first gives planning permission. Final approval of the planning process is given by the respective Local Government bodies.

Permission to commence construction is obtained from the respective local bodies. Monitoring of construction is done by the respective Local Government bodies.

Completion certificates are the responsibility of the respective Local Government bodies.

Therefore, it is the responsibility of the Local Government bodies to monitor and/or demolish unauthorised structures.

And the ODPM has gone silent on commenting about unauthorised structures after a senior executive constructed an unauthorised structure in the Penal-Debe Regional Corporation. The Town and Country Planning has stated that the unauthorised structure has no planning permission.

I hope that members of the Local Government bodies, especially Mayor Lee Sing, will appraise themselves of their responsibilities and not continue to cry on the “government” and “Town and Country” to do something.



Philip Ayoung-Chee

via e-mail