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New St Ann's Bay Mayor warns it will not be business as usual

Published:Thursday | July 9, 2020 | 12:00 AM
Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie (right) installs Bamboo Division Councillor Sydney Stewart as mayor of of St Ann's Bay mayor.

Councillor for the Bamboo division in St Ann, Sydney Stewart, has been installed as the Mayor of St Ann’s Bay warning that under his leadership, it will not be business as usual.

Stewart replaces Michael Belnavis who resigned last week following a Gleaner report that he constructed a building on government lands in Ocho Rios without the approval of the council he led.

READ: Belnavis in a bind

The resignation letter was read at Thursday's meeting of the St Ann Municipal Corporation by Chief Executive Officer Rovel Morris.

In the meantime, Stewart has indicated that he will review and reverse, if necessary, the preliminary approval for the sale of council lands in St Ann's Bay to Belnavis.

The plot of land, located in the heart of the town, houses a western Union Outlet operated by Belnavis as well as a public restroom run by the St Ann Municipal Corporation.

At today's council meeting, Beecher Town Division councillor Ian Bell said based on documents he has seen, Belnavis was offering to pay $10 million for the land, a portion of which he now leases to operate the Western Union outlet.

Details in the Friday Gleaner.

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