Municipality loses money because of failure to tender building design

Rasbert Turner, Portmore Star Writer

The failure of the Portmore Municipal Council to tender a building plan and design has resulted in the $25 million being taken back by the Local Government Ministry.

This means residents of Portmore, St Catherine, will have to wait for sometime to have a new municipal office.

This announcement was made recently during a visit of Shahine Robinson. Robinson, who has responsibility for local government, told the council that the failure of the municipality to present a plan resulted in the money being taken back

"Miscommunication might be the issue. The information from officers is that they did not know that tendering a building plan was a condition," Mayor Keith Hinds said.

Hinds admitted that the over $400,000 per month for rent at Pines Plaza where the office is located could be used elsewhere.

The land proposed for the building of a council office is located near the Portmore police station in St Catherine.

Persons who spoke to The Portmore Star said there is a need for the municipal office to deal with the council's business.