Mandeville Mayor Brenda Ramsay. - File

MANDEVILLE, Manchester:

Businesses reopened in the Leader's Plaza on Main Street in Mandeville on Saturday after they were ordered closed by the Manchester Ministry of Health and the Manchester Parish Council last Thursday.

After years of complaints by the public and merchants about the poor drainage system and road condition, some of the 70 business owners in the plaza said while the closure came as a surprise, they welcomed move to close the plaza.

Mayor of Mandeville Brenda Ramsay said the parish council had had enough with the developer of the plaza, one of the largest in the town, who was not adhering to acceptable maintenance practices.

She said for years the parish council had been trying to encourage the developer, Moses Leader, to carry out the necessary repairs to the roadway as well as to correct the malfunctioning sewerage disposal system.

When The Gleaner visited the plaza with medical officer for Manchester, Beverly Wright, and Mayor Ramsay, workmen from the council were cleaning raw sewage from the roadway in front of two restaurants. The stench was unbearable and sent most persons scampering.

Careful thought

Dr Wright said both her department and the parish council gave the matter careful thought and had, on prior occasions, sought to have the conditions addressed to no avail.

According to Wright, the situation had reached a point where the health of those who work, shop and otherwise use the plaza was now at serious risk. Mayor Ramsay said while she understood the inconvenience to the business owners, the action of the parish council was for their protection as well.

Shop owners who spoke to The Gleaner said they wondered why it took so long for the relevant government agencies to move against the developer. One owner, Fairbourne Maxwell, said poor sewerage disposal and maintenance had been long-standing issues with the developer.

Leader was said to be off the island and could not comment on the issue.

- Angelo Laurence