PRESS RELEASE - August 4, 2004
Cessation Order Still in Force
The Cessation Order served on Port Marly Limited for breaches of the Natural Resources Conservation Act remains in force.
The Cessation Order which was served by the National Environment & Planning Agency (NEPA) on July 21, 2004, required that Port Marly Limited, developers of the RIU Hotel discontinue construction of a sewage and wastewater treatment facility at Mammee Bay in St. Ann.
At a meeting held at the Ministry of Land and Environment on Tuesday (August 3) it was decided that no further work is to be done on the sewage treatment plant until the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) grants a permit.
Under the NRCA Act, it is illegal to undertake certain prescribed activities without a permit or licence. The construction of the sewage and wastewater treatment facility without a permit, constitutes a breach of the Act and the Natural Resources (Permits and Licences) Regulations 1996.
Minister of Land and Environment, Hon. Dean Peart who chaired the meeting, requested that NEPA expedite processing of the application for the sewage treatment facility which was received on Thursday, July 29, 2004. This application is currently being reviewed in consultation with the Water Resources Authority (WRA) and the Environmental Health Unit of the Ministry of Health. Meanwhile NEPA will continue to monitor the activities at the project site in Mammee Bay.
The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Land and Environment, National Environment & Planning Agency (NEPA), St. Ann Parish Council, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Port Marly Limited and political representatives of the area.
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