PoS City Corporation to demolish 6 buildings

THE Port-of-Spain Corporation plans to demolish six buildings because the owners reportedly contravened existing building regulations. Three buildings are located at Luis, Gallus and De Verteuil Streets in Woodbrook while two are located in St James and the other in St Clair. In a paid advertisement, acting chief executive officer of the City Corporation Larraine Alexander said notices were served on the owners for failure to comply.

She explained that all costs incurred in demolition would be charged to the respective properties. According to the council’s records, a new building was constructed on premises at Gallus Street without permission. At Patna Street, unauthorised additions and structural alterations to an existing building have occurred. Mezzanine flooring and a shed abutting the Western boundary are said to be unauthorised changes to the St Clair building. The corporation decided on the planned demolition exercise under Section 163 of the Municipal Corporation Act of 1980, which authorises the City Engineer “to take action where necessary.”

Wendell Stephen, chairman of the Planning and Development Committee of the council has urged the corporation to act without haste in its planned action, because too often he said, the mayor and the council generally are blamed for everything that goes wrong. In addition, he has drawn the council’s attention to illegal structures at Piccadilly Street and St Joseph Road and at the RC Cathedral, where Stephen said, a stall is being attached to the Cathedral’s wall.