CHEC rejects calls for shutdown of Mammee Bay Housing Development
Published:Tuesday | September 10, 2024 | 12:10 AMEdmond Campbell/Senior Staff Reporter
China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC) has come out in defence of its pending Mammee Bay Housing Development Project in St Ann, dismissing as misconceived, claims by an environmental lobby that recently called for the “watershed development” to be halted.
Last month, the Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement (JaBBEM) called for the Government to halt the development being carried out by CHEC.
President of JaBBEM Dr Devon Taylor accused CHEC, in August, of commencing the destruction of a part of the Rio Bueno watershed on the Roaring River Estate in St Ann to build an oversized luxury housing development based on environmental permits granted by the Government.
“We are calling on the Government of Jamaica, once again, to halt this project in the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) [of Dunn’s River Falls in Mammee Bay, St Ann], listen to the environmental defenders and the Jamaican people in the interest of social and environmental justice by relocating this development elsewhere,” Taylor said in a release last month.
Responding to the concerns, CHEC said yesterday that, in keeping with its mandate to develop the project site, the company has strictly adhered to all regulatory requirements in obtaining the necessary environmental permit from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).
“Consequently, the claims suggesting the project should be halted in the interest of social and environmental justice due to ecological sensitivity are unfounded,” Valton Simpson, CHEC’s health safety and environmental engineering manager, said in a release.
“Our commitment to environmental stewardship is a cornerstone of this project, and we will ensure that environmental protection is upheld throughout every stage, from construction to long-term operation,” he added.
According to CHEC, the Mammee Bay Housing Development was carefully conceptualised to balance the needs of the economy, the environment, and the community.
The company said the project was designed not only to provide high-quality living conditions but also to foster sustainable growth.
“We are dedicated to creating a development that serves the needs of its residents without compromising the environment or the well-being of future generations,” said Simpson.
GOING WITH EIA RESULTS
CHEC said it undertook a comprehensive and thorough environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project, conducted by a highly reputable environmental consulting firm, which included public consultations and feedback from all relevant stakeholders.
The EIA results revealed no significant adverse, cumulative, or triggering environmental effects, whether direct or indirect, during both the construction and the operational phases, the company said.
Further, officials at CHEC dismissed assertions that the project site is part of the Dunn’s River Falls watershed, noting that this was “blatantly inaccurate”, as the site is located west of the Dunn’s River water resource and is outside the watershed boundaries.
CHEC said that, contrary to claims made by concerned groups, based on the detailed EIA findings, the project would not in any way impede the underground or surface water systems of the area and poses no threat to watersheds.
CHEC officials also brushed aside claims that the Mammee Bay Housing Development would negatively impact socioeconomic conditions of the surrounding communities.
“The project is designed with environmentally sustainable features that will protect and maintain critical coastal resources, including beaches and recreational areas, waterways, and the overall environmental quality. Air and noise pollution will be carefully managed to ensure the surrounding tranquillity remains intact,” the company said.