By Stabroek News

Copyright stabroeknews

following supermarket controversy on Brickdam

The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) under the Ministry of Housing has issued a reminder to businesses, developers, and property owners that the authority is the first point of engagement for all construction and commercial development permits. Adherence to zoning laws and planning regulations is not only mandatory, the body said, but critical to safeguarding orderly and sustainable development.

CHPA said it wishes to reiterate its commitment to supporting legitimate investment and projects that align with national planning standards, uplift communities, and contribute positively to urban development, while taking “uncompromising” action against any attempt to circumvent the law.

CHPA said so in a press release last Friday while informing that it had issued an order for works to cease at the Changhong supermarket at Lot 72 Brickdam and Brummel Place, in Georgetown. An inspection conducted by the Enforcement and Compliance Department confirmed that construction commenced without seeking approval from CH&PA or the relevant regulatory agencies, the release said.

“No planning permission was ever issued for the development, nor is there any application pending before the Authority. As a result, the proprietor of [the] building was formally served with a Notice of Contravention in accordance with the Town and Country Planning Act, Cap. 20:01, ordering the immediate cessation of all unauthorized works. The notice was served at the residence of the proprietor and a copy affixed at the construction site,” CHPA informed.

The authorities acted only after a news item appeared in the September 25th edition of Stabroek News about the supermarket.

Stabroek News understands that it was only last Friday morning that Changhong submitted a plan to CHPA’s single window portal, and that after CPHA served its notice for works to cease, the workers took it down and continued its building as usual.

Around 13:00 hours Friday, a huge team from the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), including officers from its Constabulary Department, swooped down on the illegal construction and arrested five persons who were on site. While they were not immediately charged for the unlawful works being carried out, one out of the five was charged with littering, following piles of discarded building materials left in front of the building. (All five could not be charged, M&CC explained)

The municipality then officially affixed its notice on the building, giving the owner time to comply or face drastic measures by the council, including the demolition of the works already done so far. In the notice, City Engineer Colvern Venture stated that the Council records have been exhaustively checked with no record of written approval being granted for the works being carried out. “In these circumstances my office must call on you to comply with the following order within 24 hours of receipt of this notice,” he said, adding, “My office must demand that you remove all unauthorised building work within 30 days of receiving this notice. Further to comply with the demands in this notice within the specified time will result in prosecution without further notice.”

Venture told this newspaper that his building inspector went more than once to ask them to cease the work but that the owner of the property gave the workers the go-ahead to continue. “So it would appear that these persons are operating above the law,” Venture said, adding, “The owner I’m told is Mr. Akbar (from Akbar Auto Sales).” The name on the plan that was submitted to CHPA, though, was Adam Hussein of Lot 3 Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara.

A wide cross-section of Guyanese has voiced their disapproval with the apparent practice of foreigners coming to Guyana and operating as they please where business construction is concerned, questioning the source of their boldness to carry out unauthorised work.

“There is something that allows persons to feel comfortable to go ahead and build without the necessary permission but to say exactly where that is coming from, I won’t be able to say. I know that it’s not from me, but I am unable to say exactly what causes persons to be that bold to go ahead and construct without the necessary approval,” Acting Town Clerk Candace Nelson told Stabroek News on Friday.

CHPA’s notice that was issued on Friday was taken down from the building and works continued as normal. It was later put back up when the M&CC team arrived.