Browne Says Owners Will Be Charged for Demolition of Derelict Properties

The government has spent approximately $700,000 demolishing 45 derelict properties in the Point and Villa area, and property owners will ultimately be required to bear those costs, Prime Minister Gaston Browne says.

Speaking on his weekly radio programme on Saturday, Browne said the ongoing cleanup campaign is part of a broader effort to improve communities, remove unsafe structures and create a cleaner environment, but warned that taxpayers should not be expected to shoulder the financial burden of neglected private properties.

“We actually broke down 45 properties in Point and Villa so far at a cost of about $700,000,” Browne said.

The prime minister said owners of abandoned and dilapidated properties will be held financially responsible when the government is forced to intervene.

“We’re not doing it for free,” Browne said. “Ultimately, we’re going to attach a charge to the lands if it costs us $5,000, $10,000 to break down the whole structure.”

According to Browne, the cost of demolition and cleanup will be recorded as a charge against the property, allowing the government to recover the money spent.

“The cost to clean up the thing is going to form a charge on the property,” he said.