Damion Mitchell, Gleaner Reporter
BUILDING CONTRACTORS have criticised Parish Councils for what they said was the failure of their building inspectors to conduct the required examinations of buildings before approving them for habitation.
As a result, they said it was easier for unconscientious contractors to have shoddy work approved.
Speaking at a Gleaner Editors' Forum at the Bethabara Primary and Junior High School in Manchester on Wednesday, Malcolm Housen, a former president of the Incorporated Master Builders' Association of Jamaica said the Manchester Parish Council was among those that had not effectively executed building inspections.
"To tell you the truth, I do not know what the building officers are paid to do, because certainly, there is no inspection," said Mr. Housen, who is also the managing director of Meridian Construction Company.
But Kenneth Mullings, the Superintendent of Roads and Works for the Manchester Parish Council, who has supervisory responsibility for the four building inspectors assigned to the Council has rebutted the allegations.
"It is not true," he told The Sunday Gleaner on Friday. "If we were not inspecting, how would we have submitted so many building breaches?" he questioned, adding that about 60 buildings were inspected each month.
