Not passing the buck

MAYOR of Montego Bay Richard Vernon has rejected the suggestion that gated communities allow the Government to avoid responsibility for maintaining vital infrastructure, instead passing these costs on to residents who pay monthly fees. “I would respectfully disagree with that suggestion. The St James Municipal Corporation remains committed to serving all communities across the parish, whether gated or non-gated.

The issue is not one of Government avoiding responsibility, but rather of responsibilities being allocated by law among developers, property owners, and local authorities,” he said in a written response to the Jamaica Observer’s Real Estate on the Rock. Adding that these communities are merely a result of growing market demand, the mayor explained the implications of road maintenance behind gates that keep unwanted guests at bay and provide a feeling of exclusivity. Under the Parochial Act, he said, those who establish, own, and benefit from private roads have a responsibility to maintain them.

“Section 40 provides that roads constructed by a developer may only be taken over by the municipal corporation when they have been completed to the required standard and all necessary legal and administrative requirements have been satisfied. The corporation, therefore, has a responsibility not only to residents of a particular development, but also to taxpayers throughout the parish. “Before assuming responsibility for any road network, we must be satisfied that the infrastructure meets the standards required for public ownership.

This protects both residents and taxpayers by ensuring that public resources are not required to correct deficiencies that should properly be addressed during the development process,” Vernon told the Sunday Observer. “In many instances, where transfer takes longer than anticipated, the delay arises from outstanding technical, legal or administrative requirements rather than any reluctance on the part of the municipal corporation to assume responsibility,” he insisted. Meadows of Irwin is among gated communities in Vernon’s parish with unresolved issues that have prevented transfer to the municipal corporation.

The citizens’ association estimates it will cost about $5 million to correct two of the major problems. The mayor said he is working to address the issue. “I wish to assure the residents of Meadows of Irwin that the St James…