KINGSTON - Following a formal complaint from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, four workers from the Celina’s Atlantic Resort (CAR) are in police custody after officers visited the Kitty seawall site this afternoon.
Today, November 25, 2015, MPI lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over the construction work underway at CAR. For quite some time now, MPI has been concerned with the ongoing construction due to the risk it poses to sea defence.
After MPI sought assistance in the matter today, the police’s legal advisor was contacted and informed of the situation. In turn, advice was given that the police may proceed to prosecute CAR under the Sea Defence Act.
When police visited the site at around 16:30hrs, employees were at the time engaged in work. While three persons were arrested on the spot, once subsequently came in. The employees were three operators and a mechanic.
A police official has confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the extensive and detrimental work undertaken by CAR. The official also shared that the employees have all singled out the same person as their employer. Additionally, the police are hoping that the arrests will send a clear message to both employees and employers at CAR and will act as a deterrent in the future.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Infrastructure, Honourable David Patterson, applauded the police’s swift response.
“I must commend the police for doing their job,” Minister Patterson emphasised. He continued, “The Ministry takes the protection of the sea defence and the preservation of our protection extremely seriously and we will continue to monitor the situation.”
The workers are still in custody but will be released this evening on station bail.
