Gully banks development

After the various hurricanes and tropical storms that have hit or passed near to Jamaica there is usually an outcry about those persons who build and live on gully banks.  In particular after Hurricane Nicole there was much concern because many gullies were damaged and persons who lived on the gully bank lost their lives.

However, it seems to me that there is a double standard.  The government on one hand is telling persons not to build on the gully banks but is on the other hand approving permits for the construction of various business places on these same banks.

The most noticeable one of these was highlighted during the last storm when a section of market place collapsed into the gully when the gully wall was washed away.  I always thought that it was irresponsible to allow that development to have taken place.  In thinking about this situation I decided to see which developments I could find that were built on gully banks.

The first one that I noticed was sovereign plaza where the gully passes right by the back parking lot of the plaza.  On old hope road just before you reach the gas station at Mountain View Avenue there is a series of shops built on the banks of the gully.  At the corner of Russell Road and barbican road Shields and shields sits on a gully bank.  I have seen apartment complexes built next to gullies and there are numerous others throughout the red hills area.  It is not uncommon to find them in Spanish Town and its environs, Montego Bay and in many other parts of the country.

If there is to be orderly and sustained development of the country which is a requirement for economic growth then the standards of the country need to be applied equally to all parties who wish to construct.  If building on the gully bank is wrong then it must be wrong for the poor man as well as for the rich man.  The same standards must be applied to all.

Now I am not naïve and we all know how business is run in this country but it is time for us to make a stand and to say that we demand a better quality of life.  It is not enough to have laws but those laws must also be enforced.  It is often the consumer who feels the impact when disasters happen as a result of poor construction practices.  Our government must place more emphasis on observing the building codes because failure to obey the rules often results in deaths and none of us want that.

Write in and tell me about developments on gully banks in the area where you live or work.

Tags: Carl Wilson