City council moves against Norton St scrap metal dealer
Citing public health and the safety of Norton Street residents, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) yesterday pounced on the overloaded lot of a city scrap metal dealer, who claimed that he had not been served notice prior to the city’s operation.
Just after 2 pm yesterday, workers of the M&CC swarmed the area at Norton and John streets with the Town Clerk in tow.
They moved to the crowded lot, which had its entryway blocked off by a truck residents reported had been parked there for months, and the Town Clerk, Royston King, proceeded to ask the owner, Morris Primo, to remove the truck from “council’s parapet.”
But the vehicle was not operational at the time, and while the party awaited the arrival of the tow truck King requested, the workmen proceeded instead to empty the scrap metal from the truck’s tray, which, like the lot behind it, was filled with rusting iron and used tires, among other things.
Residents watched from their verandahs and windows as the operation unfolded, while Primo, just across the narrow street, attempted to salvage some of the junk, rescuing it with the aid of another man, who helped to place it into the yard.
King, observing same, called the action “disrespectful” to the Council.
“This situation is well known in the city where one individual has held the entire community hostage by storing all sorts of scrap metals and a whole host of other undesirable things, creating an environment for mosquito breeding and harbouring all kinds of reptiles. We couldn’t allow a situation like this to continue to prevail in the city and as a result of that, we’re moving to clear the entire parapet and even the yard in which these things are stored,” King said yesterday.
He described the situation as a “lack of neighbourliness” and stated that Primo is “compromising the public health of the community” by exposing residents to emissions from rusting iron and batteries. “…It is wrong and unacceptable. Nobody should be allowed to do that, in this community or any other community...,” he stated.
“This particular individual has been warned over and over again. He’s been given notices, both verbal and written notices, and he’s failed to comply, so we’re taking action against him and we have the Municipal District Councils Act 28:01, giving us the authority and the right to do it and this is exactly what we have been doing,” the Town Clerk said.
Nevertheless, King stated that the M&CC is not obligated to send notices to persons who use parapets without the city’s permission, but need only to “move in and claim” the spaces which he noted are collectively owned by the citizens of Georgetown.
But Primo denied ever receiving prior warning of the council’s intended actions.
“…Nobody ain’ give me no report, no notice, nothing at all,” Primo, who said he has been occupying the lot for that purpose for over 13 years, later told the media, contrary to King’s report. Primo concluded, however, that “that’s the way of the system” and the council should “do wah they goh do.”
The lot owner told the media that he usually stores the iron there temporarily before removing it to a location at Paradise, but stated that it has been some time since that was last done as the storage area was flooded. He stated, however, that they had started cleaning the yard yesterday morning to make space, after receiving word that the area would be opening back up soon.
Commenting on the city’s operation, many of Primo’s neighbours expressed relief that it was finally occurring.
One resident, who said that the cleanup provided a much needed “facelift,” related that she suffers from allergies and complained of being affected by the dust from the yard. She has lived there for approximately nine years.
Another reported that until this week, the fence surrounding the property had been falling over and was only fixed by another resident. She also related that the yard serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and that rats run abundant.
“The man gotta live,” another neighbour commented. “…If government din open it, it woulda straighten out, right?” he opined.