THE HOUSING Ministry is stepping up efforts to relocate residents of Roaring River, following reports that the community practices are putting them at risk of health problems, such as typhoid, and that these practices are threatening the Roaring River's water quality.
Addressing the Westmoreland Parish Council recently, state minister in the water and housing ministry, Harry Douglas, said that meetings have been held with stakeholders and since then, the following have been accomplished:
The Sugar Industry Authority, through the Frome/Monymusk Land Company, have agreed to the sale of 20.49 hectares of land for the relocation of the residents.
The National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC) Limited has agreed to purchase the property and undertake the relocation exercise.
The property has been surveyed, topographical maps prepared and designs are now being undertaken.
The Minister of Housing has signed the order declaring land registered at Volume 342 Folio 66 of the Registered Book of Titles comprising 20.49 hectares as a housing area. The order will be published in the press and gazetted shortly, he said.
"As soon as the plans are prepared, they will be submitted to this council. The council will be requested to respond to the minister in the time prescribed so he can finalise the declaration of the scheme under the Housing Act. I hope that this update provided today will convince everyone that progress is being made and with the co-operation of the council," Mr. Douglas said.
APPROVAL PROCESS BY-PASSED
A few weeks ago, some Parish Councils and an environmentalist complained that some officials and agencies were by-passing
the Parish Councils' building approval process to give the order for construction under regulations such as the Housing Act. They said that construction often takes place in sometimes environmentally-sensitive and other inappropriate areas. The Housing Ministry has denied this claim.
Mr. Douglas said the move followed concerns expressed by the Westmoreland Parish Council in March 2003, in which they pointed out the health risk posed by using non-purified water from Roaring River, especially as the source of the supply is heavily inhabited and most of the people use pit latrines. The river serves as the source of drinking water for 100,000 persons in surrounding communities.
He said the health department has been recommending relocating the people for years and the Roaring River's threatened water quality has been determined by the Ministry of Health, the Water Resources Authority and other agencies.
The sources of threat include residences, inadequate solid waste disposal, animal rearing in the vicinity of the Blue Hole and water ways up gradient of the National Water Commission intake and unregulated commercial activities.
But the Housing Ministry is making it clear that it intends to work with the local Parish Council.
