Tweet
No more talks on Rui Hotel sewage issue, says Mammee Bay rep
By Mark Thompson
Staff Reporter
JamaicaSundayHerald
Despite assurances given by Riu Club Hotel Ocho Rios to St. Ann’s Bay Mayor, Delroy Giscombe, concerning the resort’s intention to rectify all outstanding sewage and drainage issues relating to the property by October 20, the residents of the neighbouring Mammee Bay Estate are putting a legal case together against the Spanish hotel chain.
According to John Marcocchio, a director on the board of the Mammee Bay Beach Club — a community organisation representing property owners and residents of Mammee Bay Estate — the time for dialogue with Riu has long passed. He charged that Riu had repeatedly been in breach of environmental laws by failing to prevent its sewage from entering the marine environment.
“We’ve gone from bad to worse. The spewing of raw sewage out on our beach is a recurrent problem and so far the statutory agencies have not been able to bring the hotel under control. It seems that Spanish hotels can bypass regulations in Jamaica with impunity,” Marcocchio charged.
The St. Ann Parish Council had given the hotel two weeks to clean up its act, after discovering that the hotel’s sewage was entering the sea. Footage of this environmental breach was captured by a local television station.
Mayor Giscombe disclosed that a tour of the hotel last Wednesday by officials from the parish council, the St. Ann Health Department and the National Works Agency (NWA), revealed that the hotel was making efforts to address the problem.
“As it was explained to us by the Riu management, the problem was caused by an overflow that was not properly monitored in the wee hours of the morning. We see some signs of improvement and they have convinced us that they are trying their best to comply. We have given them additional time to rectify the problem,” stated Mayor Giscombe.
He said the hotel was also tackling the problem of a leaking sewage pipe in its basement, which was the source of a foul odour on one of the floors of the hotel. Mayor Giscombe indicated that the issues related to the sewage problem should be resolved by Riu by October 20.
Regarding the drainage problem on the Mammee Bay Estate, which the residents have blamed on the construction of a perimeter wall by Riu, Mayor Giscombe said the hotel had committed to removing the wall, which was obstructing the flow of storm water from the estate into the sea. He added that Riu had also agreed to remove the wall separating the properties, which had been illegally built on Mammee Bay Estate land. The plans have already been approved by the NWA for Riu to erect a new wall on the hotel property, which is to be completed by October 20.
The drainage issue has been a longstanding bone of contention between the Mammee Bay Estate residents and Riu. It dates back to 2005, the year that construction work on the 846-room hotel, the third built by Riu in the island, was completed. A June 24, 2005 post-monitoring report on the situation by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) declared that the dispute was resolved after Riu reportedly agreed to reinstate the drain.
According to Marcocchio, the dialogue between the residents and Riu has since been undermined by broken promises and backtracking. He said despite the new promises, the Mammee Bay Beach Club would be taking the matter to the courts.
“Riu has not been very honourable in its dealings with us. We’ve had meetings where resolutions and actions were agreed on and then later on we received letters informing us that Riu had no obligation to do anything. So we’re still putting our case together,” Marcocchio said
When the Sunday Herald contacted Riu Club Hotel Ocho Rios yesterday, a representative said the hotel was not experiencing problems related to sewage at this time, and deflected further questions to the St. Ann Health Department
By Mark Thompson
Staff Reporter
JamaicaSundayHerald
Despite assurances given by Riu Club Hotel Ocho Rios to St. Ann’s Bay Mayor, Delroy Giscombe, concerning the resort’s intention to rectify all outstanding sewage and drainage issues relating to the property by October 20, the residents of the neighbouring Mammee Bay Estate are putting a legal case together against the Spanish hotel chain.
According to John Marcocchio, a director on the board of the Mammee Bay Beach Club — a community organisation representing property owners and residents of Mammee Bay Estate — the time for dialogue with Riu has long passed. He charged that Riu had repeatedly been in breach of environmental laws by failing to prevent its sewage from entering the marine environment.
“We’ve gone from bad to worse. The spewing of raw sewage out on our beach is a recurrent problem and so far the statutory agencies have not been able to bring the hotel under control. It seems that Spanish hotels can bypass regulations in Jamaica with impunity,” Marcocchio charged.
The St. Ann Parish Council had given the hotel two weeks to clean up its act, after discovering that the hotel’s sewage was entering the sea. Footage of this environmental breach was captured by a local television station.
Mayor Giscombe disclosed that a tour of the hotel last Wednesday by officials from the parish council, the St. Ann Health Department and the National Works Agency (NWA), revealed that the hotel was making efforts to address the problem.
“As it was explained to us by the Riu management, the problem was caused by an overflow that was not properly monitored in the wee hours of the morning. We see some signs of improvement and they have convinced us that they are trying their best to comply. We have given them additional time to rectify the problem,” stated Mayor Giscombe.
He said the hotel was also tackling the problem of a leaking sewage pipe in its basement, which was the source of a foul odour on one of the floors of the hotel. Mayor Giscombe indicated that the issues related to the sewage problem should be resolved by Riu by October 20.
Regarding the drainage problem on the Mammee Bay Estate, which the residents have blamed on the construction of a perimeter wall by Riu, Mayor Giscombe said the hotel had committed to removing the wall, which was obstructing the flow of storm water from the estate into the sea. He added that Riu had also agreed to remove the wall separating the properties, which had been illegally built on Mammee Bay Estate land. The plans have already been approved by the NWA for Riu to erect a new wall on the hotel property, which is to be completed by October 20.
The drainage issue has been a longstanding bone of contention between the Mammee Bay Estate residents and Riu. It dates back to 2005, the year that construction work on the 846-room hotel, the third built by Riu in the island, was completed. A June 24, 2005 post-monitoring report on the situation by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) declared that the dispute was resolved after Riu reportedly agreed to reinstate the drain.
According to Marcocchio, the dialogue between the residents and Riu has since been undermined by broken promises and backtracking. He said despite the new promises, the Mammee Bay Beach Club would be taking the matter to the courts.
“Riu has not been very honourable in its dealings with us. We’ve had meetings where resolutions and actions were agreed on and then later on we received letters informing us that Riu had no obligation to do anything. So we’re still putting our case together,” Marcocchio said
When the Sunday Herald contacted Riu Club Hotel Ocho Rios yesterday, a representative said the hotel was not experiencing problems related to sewage at this time, and deflected further questions to the St. Ann Health Department