Carolyn Cooper | KSAMC an di developer dem a mash up Kingston

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

Everywhere yu turn, apartment building a go up inna Kingston. Di developer dem lik down one degeh-degeh house, an next ting, one hell of a apartment building put up pon di lickle spot. Look pon di corner a Munroe Rd an Wellington Drive! Me waan know how dem deh developer get permit fi put up dem two high-rise building deh so. Mi no tink dem coulda pass no ‘environmental impact assessment.’ Nobody inna dem right mind couldn’t claims seh dem deh building nah go affect di community inna wan bad-bad way.

Dat deh intersection did dread from long time. Traffic, traffic, traffic! Morning an evening. All miggle day. Traffic light did ha fi put up couple year aback fi control di whole heap a vehicle dem. Wa a go happen wen dem deh people from di apartment building dem try shoob out a morning time an bore een back a evening? Traffic a go lock down. Tighter than covid curfew. An nuh space nuh deh fi mek di two road dem wider.

An mi a watch one lickle building weh a go up cross di street pon di corner a Munroe Rd an Oakshore. Wen it did start off, it did look like one one-fambily house. But it a spread out now an a look apartment-ish. More traffick. Two next big an broad apartment building a go up pon Wellington Drive. Side a one gully. Dat a one next crosses. More traffic problem. How dem get permit?

START MEK NOISE

Me waah know wa a gwaan down a KSAMC. It look like seh di Corporation a cooperate wid di developer dem fi mash up Kingston. From wa mi get fi understand, KSAMC a work back to front. Tek far instance: developer waah put up a apartment building inna one community weh suppose to have ongle one-fambily house. Dat a di agreement from long time. Yu own di land fi true. But yu cyaan build any an anyting pon it. Inna English, dem call dat a ‘restrictive covenant.’

Ascorden to di law, KSAMC can gi permit fi put up di building. After dat, di developer suppose fi go a court an apply fi get di covenant change before dem start build. Oonoo done know wa a go happen wid some a dem bandooloo developer. Dem dis start build. Dem have permit from KSAMC.

Govament ha fi change di law. KSAMC not suppose fi gi no building permit weh look like it a encourage developer fi bruck di law. Wi ha fi start mek noise. Wi ha fi force KSAMC fi protect Kingston from di craven developer dem. Wi can’t wait so til di building dem start go up an wi hear seh it too late fi stop. Wi no want di whole a Kingston turn inna one concrete jungle.

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

Evriwie yu ton, apaatment bildin a go op ina Kingston. Di divelopa dem lik dong wan dege-dege ous, an neks ting, wan el av a apaatment bildin put op pan di likl spat. Luk pan di kaana a Munroe Rd an Wellington Drive! Mii waan nuo ou dem de divelopa get pormit fi put up dem tuu ai-raiz bildin de so. Mi no tink dem kuda paas no ‘environmental impact assessment.’ Nobadi ina dem rait main kudn kliemz se dem de bildin naa go afek di komyuuniti ina wan bad-bad wie.

Dat de intasekshan did jred fram lang taim. Chrafik, chrafik, chrafik! Maanin an iivnin. Aal migl die. Chrafik lait did afi put op kopl ier abak fi chrai kanchruol di uol iip a viikl dem. Wa a go apn wen dem de piipl fram di apaatment bildin dem chrai shub out a maanin taim an buor iin bak a iivnin? Chrafik a go lak dong. Taita dan kuovid korfyuu. An no spies no de fi mek di tuu ruod dem waida.

An mi a wach wan likl bildin we a go op kraas di schriit pan di kaana a Munroe Rd. an Oakshore. Wen it did staat aaf, it did luk laik wan wan-fambilii ous. Bot it a spred out nou an a luk apaatment-ish. Muor chrafik. Tuu neks big an braad apaatment bildin a go op pan Wellington Drive. Said a wan goli. Dat a wan neks kraasiz. Muor chrafik problem. Ou dem get pormit?

STAAT MEK NAIZ

Mii waan nuo wa a gwaan dong a KSAMC. It luk laik se di Corporation a kaapariet wid di divelopa dem fi mash op Kingston. Fram wa mi get fi andastan, KSAMC a work bak tu front. Tek far instans: divelopa waan put op a apaatment bildin ina wan komyuuniti we supouz tu av ongl wan-fambili ous. Dat a di agriiment fram lang taim. Yu uon di lan fi chruu. Bot yu kyaan bil eni an enting pan it. Ina Ingglish, dem kaal dat a ‘restrictive covenant.’

Azkaadn tu di laa, KSAMC kyan gi pormit fi put op di bildin. Aafta dat, di divelopa supuoz fi go a kuort an aplai fi get di kovanant chienj. Unu don nuo wa a go apn wid som a dem banduulu divelopa. Dem dis staat bil. Dem av pormit fram KSAMC.

Govament afi chienj di laa. KSAMC nat supuoz fi gi nuo bildin pormit we luk laik it a inkorij divelopa fi bruk di laa. Wi afi staat mek naiz. Wi afi fuors KSAMC fi protek Kingston fram di krievn divelopa dem. Wi kyaahn wiet so til di bildin dem staat go op an wi ier se it tuu liet fi stap. Wi no waahn di uol a Kingston ton ina wan kangkriit jongl.

For an English translation, visit carolynjoycooper.wordpress.com

- Carolyn Cooper, PhD, is a specialist on culture and development. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com.