Trelawny Parish Council gets 28-day ultimatum
Published:Saturday | February 11, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Ruddy Mathison, Gleaner Writer
FALMOUTH, Trelawny:
THE TRELAWNY Parish Council is to face court action if public-health concerns existing in three of its facilities are not addressed in 28 days.
It was revealed at Thursday's monthly meeting of the parish council that the public health department has served four summonses on the parish council, citing outstanding breaches of the Public Health Act.
Two of the summonses cited improper sanitary convenience and garbage disposal at the Falmouth market and the bus park along Tharpe Street, and overgrown bushes and trees, as well as a massive pile -up of garbage in the Falmouth cemetery.
Delroy Mowatt, deputy chief public health inspector for the parish, in his report to the council, painted a damning picture of the facilities.
"Of all the facilities the Falmouth market, the cemetery and newly erected bus park pose the biggest challenge to the department; these facilities have been neglected despite the fact that the parish council is privy to the discrepancies associated with them for many months," said Mowatt.
He added that the cemetery is densely overgrown with trees and bushes and is being used as a municipal dump. Mowatt also pointed to the lack of proper toilet facilities and running water at the bus park and the market as areas of grave concern.
Meanwhile, Mayor of Falmouth Collen Gager in his response to the pending court action, defended the council, arguing that his office was working feverishly to correct the problem at the bus park. He noted that any court action at this time would not get the health department anywhere.
Building proper convenience
Gager said officers at the council were recently instructed to start the process of building a proper sanitary convenience at the bus park.
"It is not as if the council is not working to correct the problem. Based on the time frame we had to work with when we were given notice from the former bus park, that's the best we could do. If the health department wants to sue, we will just have to get our lawyers and respond."
The mayor said portable toilets are costing the council $500,000 per month to maintain.
The mayor's response drew a stern reaction from Marcia Johnson-Campbell, acting regional technical director of the Trelawny Health Department, who said her office was acting in the interest of public health.
Johnson-Campbell suggested that the council should seriously look at the amount of money it expends and document a plan of action to provide a proper facility, suggesting that her department was willing to work with the council.