- Rudolph Brown/Staff Photographer
Members of the Liguanea Area Coalition of Citizens' Association (LACCA) stage a peaceful protest in front of the proposed site for the construction of a new United States Embassy complex at Bamboo Pen, Liguanea, St. Andrew on Tuesday.
John Myers Jr., Staff Reporter
DISGRUNTLED RESIDENTS of Bamboo Avenue and surrounding communities in Liguanea, St. Andrew, staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday outside the proposed site of the new United States Embassy building, voicing their opposition to its construction.
On Tuesday, placard-bearing members of the Liguanea Area Coalition of Citizens' Association (LACCA), stood along the Old Hope Road entrance to the property during the morning peak-hours to highlight their grouse with the construction of what they said was a commercial building in an exclusive residential community.
The residents contend that the security and safety of the neighbourhood will be compromised by the installation of high-tech surveillance systems and the installation of security devices such as bomb deflectors, which are designed to deflect the impact of a bomb from its intended target. Furthermore, a resident claimed she was told that the embassy would be installing bomb-resistant doors and windows.
However, the peaceful protest was met with animosity from residents of the inner-city community of Standpipe, which is located across the road from the proposed site, who staged a counter-protest to express their approval of the Embassy's construction and vent their disapproval with the LACCA.
The Standpipe residents, who were also armed with placards, made it clear that the construction of the building would provide much-needed employment for the people of the deprived community.
Tuesday's action by the residents followed the approval of two resolutions by the LACCA at a public forum held at the Campion College auditorium on Monday night, vowing to mount strong opposition against the construction.
In an electronic mail response to queries from The Gleaner, Orna Blum, public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy, suggested that they would not back down.
She stated that the embassy's right to construct a new building was embedded in a licence that was granted by the Jamaican Government in September, 1986 to purchase the lands at Bamboo Pen.
"The licence was issued to the United States of America for the use solely as an Embassy, Consulate and all attendant and necessary offices, buildings and appurtenances thereto and for administrative and services by the United States of America," she explained.
According to her, "the United States Embassy received permission in writing from the Town and Country Planning Authority to proceed with limited works."
But, Dr. St. Aubyn Bartlett, Member of Parliament for Eastern St. Andrew, who was in attendance at the public forum, and who expressed support for the residents' actions, said he would be demanding answers from Foreign Affairs Minister K.D. Knight and Land and Environment Minister Dean Peart as to the Government's position on the matter in Parliament.
The US$53 million contract for the building's construction was awarded to the California-based Fluor Corporation. Ms. Blum said the embassy intends to build offices to accommodate its diplomatic and consular sections and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at a later date on the property. She said a private residence will also be built to accommodate U.S. marines who provide security to the Embassy.
