No end in sight in Bogue lands saga

WESTERN BUREAU:MONTEGO BAY Mayor Leeroy Williams says there is no end in sight in the long-running saga between the St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) and the people occupying the corporation’s Bogue lands, which has been locked in a political tug-o-war over several administrations.

“It is somewhat at a standstill at this point because we requested that the outstanding amount owed from the mesne profit be paid, and then we could enter into a sales agreement with them, but only a handful is paying anything,” explained Williams, “I really don’t know when they will pay up the mesne profit so that we can enter into a sales agreement, because only a few are paying here and there.”

The controversial five-hectare Bogue Industrial Estate property which features 26 lots, is primarily occupied by People’s National Party (PNP) supporters, who were allowed to occupy the lands under a previous PNP administration. It was valued at $700 million in 2015.

The occupants of the property are contending that they are being unfairly targeted by the current administration, albeit they have valid lease/sale agreements, which date back to May 22, 2003. The lease/sale was established during the tenure of the former mayor, Hugh Solomon.

After the Jamaica Labour Party took control of the StJMC in 2016, the new administration crushed a controversial 2009 evaluation agreement and has been pressing to collect the over $123.6 million in outstanding rent, which now features a 2020 evaluation.

The municipal corporation also wants to collect over $130 million from the actual sale of the 26 commercial lots, of which part proceeds were to be used to build a state-of-the-art shopping arcade at the Old Shoes Market site in downtown Montego Bay.

“Our next course of action is to get them to pay the outstanding amount, but we are now in the process of hiring an in-house attorney who will lead that charge,” said Williams.

The current controversy was sparked by a 2018 report by the Office of the Contractor General, which revealed that a previous PNP administration at the StJMC had breached the government’s land-divestment policy when it tried to sell the lots to the occupiers based on the 2009 valuation in 2015.

Former PNP politician and attorney-at-law, John Junor, is representing 18 of the 26 business operators who want the improvement they have made to the property to be factored into whatever settlement is decided on.