Editors' Forum | Why the KSAMC is closely scrutinising single-family dwellings

Nadine Wilson Harris/Staff Reporter

A senior official at the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) has sought to explain that the building of single-family units in the corporate area are generally closely scrutinised to safeguard against shoddy construction. 

Some people constructing small residential dwellings have complained about the onerous regulatory process.

But senior building inspector at KSAMC, Jeremy Lawrence, said it is to ensure safety.

“Single family persons might feel they get a harder time during the construction part of it, but the reason being for that is that we take on most of the responsibility for single-family homes," he told a Gleaner Editors' Forum.

According to Lawrence, single-family building applications primarily only need approval from the KSAMC. 

Developers of multi-family units generally have to go through several other agencies including the fire brigade, the National Works Agency, the National Environment and Planning Agency, the Civil Aviation Authority and in some cases, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management.

Lawrence said the multi-family developers are required to have a wide gamut of professionals, including civil engineers, structural engineers, mechanical engineers and registered architects who are involved in the construction. 

“Most single-family homes are usually built by our uncles, our aunts, our cousin who is probably a tradesman,” he said. 

The senior building inspector insisted that the municipal corporation is focused on protecting citizens warning that the agency takes seriously corrupt practices.

He said if building inspectors solicit money for approving projects, they are to be called out. 

“If you are afraid to report, then it did not happen. The only way we can be aware... as the managers of the city, is if it is reported. You have no need to be afraid, there are no sanctions that will be placed on any individual for reporting any form of corruption from any member of the municipality,” he said. 

But architect and senior lecturer in the Faculty of the Built Environment at the University of Technology, Jamaica, Dr Patricia Green, remains disgruntled about the building approval process.  

"Building approvals at this stage in Jamaica's history is arbitrary. There are certain people who are denied building approvals for whatever reasons and there are others who can get approval in a month's time and I have learnt that from people who have made submissions and have said certain things,” said Green.  

Deputy head of planning at the KSAMC, Shawn Martin said, over the years, significant progress has been made in reducing the approval time. 

“It's a process that is ongoing and for sure we have had consultation sessions with all our stakeholders to ensure that agencies that we refer applications to for sure are responding to us within a timely manner, and where appropriate, we do constant follow-up and checks with them so that we keep the approval within the 90-day time,” he said.  

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