Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says he expects to receive a full report this week from the technical team investigating the collapse of a section of a building at the Royalton Negril Hotel construction site in Hanover.

He said that the team has received all reports, notices and other correspondence relating to the project.

The documents include detailed reports from the developers and the Hanover Parish Council.

‘The team will be going back to Kingston and they will sit and look at all the reports…and I am hoping that by late (this week) I will have the full  report – the findings and the recommendations that have been put forward,” Minister McKenzie stated.

He was speaking to JIS News on Saturday (May 14) following a meeting at the Global Villa in Hanover.

In attendance were members of the technical team; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Denzil Thorpe and other technocrats; representatives of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA); and technical staff of the Hanover Parish Council.

While not providing details of the reports, Minister McKenzie said that early observations are pointing to weaknesses in the systems of the Hanover Parish Council, which he noted “will be addressed in short order.”

He told JIS News that he will be ensuring that recommendations from the technical team become the standard for large construction projects across the island.

Meanwhile, the Minister indicated that he will be convening a meeting with the Hanover Parish Council and the Negril/Green Island Planning Authority to address concerns.

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