THE OWNERS of Khemlani Mart, Manor Centre, St. Andrew, have submitted drawings for a building they have leased and are renovating which was deemed a fire hazard last month by Jamaica Fire Brigade and local Government officials. But the drawings have not satisfied the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC).
Councillors at yesterday's KSAC Building and Town Planning Committee meeting agreed to write a letter to the lessees asking a representative to come in to negotiate or face court action.
"Until he comes in, the building application is on hold. He will be required to pay a fine. We can negotiate (but) if he's not willing to negotiate then we will take him to court," Councillor Trevor Bernard said.
That decision followed a heated discussion between building industry representatives, councillors and the Chairman as to whether the negotiation option should even be offered.
Some committee members argued against this option declaring that renovations had gone ahead without KSAC approval and continued despite the issuing of a cease-work notice and notice advising of the irregularity.
In addition, building industry representatives argued that the breaches had still not been addressed. In fact, they said that the owners were guilty of another breach the sign on the front of the store building had also been printed without the necessary KSAC approval.
Last month, officials had called for changes in the building's makeup and cited the owners for building breaches as no plans had been submitted to the KSAC before renovation had begun.
In addition, Astley Lindsay, a representative of the Fire Prevention Unit who attended a committee meeting in mid-October, told councillors that the premises, (The old Nathans Store), was not properly ventilated and that on the ground floor, windows that used to let in fresh air when the bank was there had been blocked. So too were three small windows and one large one to the south of the first floor on King Street and six windows on Peters Lane, at the rear of the building.
Mr. Lindsay had also been concerned that in the event of a fire, fire-fighting and rescue missions would be severely hampered by the volume of smoke enveloping the building, would have difficulty getting access to the upper floors and have poor visibility.
"With a natural air vent, you could let out some of this smoke so you could increase visibility," he continued.
Last month, Steve Khemlani, managing director of Khemlani Mart, said the windows were not open because the place was air-conditioned; and he contradicted claims that the building's two rear exits were blocked.
Mr. Khemlani said that he had employed workers to clean up, do some retiling and paint the building. He said he had not made any structural changes such as additions to the building, and so had not seen the need to send building plans to the KSAC or to the Fire Prevention Unit of the Jamaica Fire Brigade.
The Gleaner was told in October that fines for building breaches range from $10,000 to $500,000.
