THE PORTMORE Municipal Council will this week serve stop orders to persons rebuilding permanent structures in sections of Hellshire that were flooded during Hurricane Ivan.
"I am noticing that permanent structures are beginning to come back and this coming week, we're going to serve notices to stop all permanent structures," declared Mayor George Lee at a Town Meeting at the Council in Portmore Pines on Saturday.
Mayor Lee said that the Council would be enforcing building codes in the municipality because "We have got to begin to be stronger, firmer in respect to how we grant permission for housing to build in certain areas in our community."
On another matter, the Mayor said there have been few responses to the Better Neighbourhood programme, which was launched three months ago. He noted that the programme had suffered a setback because of Hurricane Ivan, which had done some 'serious destruction' to trees in Portmore.
TREE PLANTING
He said that the Council would be introducing a tree planting programme on a sustained basis as well as doing more work with respect to the Better Neighbour-hood competition. In addition, he said, efforts would be made to garner funding for the proposed community projects, noting that the Council would not be able to provide assistance for all the activities.
The Better Neighbour-hood competition is a new initiative of the municipality aimed at motivating communities to be more environmentally aware, to engender greater civic pride and responsibilities and to promote the concept of community unity and involvement. It includes the creation and maintenance of parks, beautification of communities and improving community relationship and building bonds.
Discussions at the meeting centred on matters relating to the Hurricane Ivan restoration programme, Highway 2000, naming of the 'I-95' Highway and heritage celebrations in Portmore.
