Illegal concrete plant under construction adjacent to South Ruimveldt

The setting up of an illegal concrete facility adjacent to South Ruimveldt Gardens, Georgetown, continues to gain ground without the requisite approval from authorities such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) and despite a Contravention Order issued by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

Frustrated residents, who reside along and around David Rose Street, South Ruimveldt Gardens, reached out to the News Room on Friday to shed light on the matter.

The News Room understands that the facility is being set up by three foreigners, who have incorporated a local company, to be operated on a portion of land facilitated by Guyanese, Andrew Mekdeci, and which is leased from the owner, Michael Vieira of Houston Estates.

The Articles of Incorporation for the company – Superior Concrete Inc – lists Ian Charles Jones, Richard Austin Shamlin and Maxwell Christopher Snow as the Directors/Incorporators.

Besides environmental issues, what is worrying for residents is not only the destruction to the connecting streets and nearby properties but that the facility is being set up without the necessary approval.

Officials at the CH&PA confirmed that a Contravention Order, asking the company to provide proof that approval was granted to set up the facility, was issued earlier this week.

According to officials at the CH&PA, no application was filed by the company for operations and the order was served on the company after a complaint was lodged. That order has reportedly been disregarded and discarded by one of the Directors Ian Jones upon delivery. He was reportedly hostile to the CH&PA on the issue.

The High Court on Friday also entertained an application for an injunction, made by other landowners in the area, asking for the Court’s support in resolving the matter. The respondents named in the court documents were Michael Vieira, Andrew Mekdeci, Superior Concrete, Central Housing and Planning Authority, Environmental Protection Agency and the Mayor and City Council.

Residents say dozens of trucks, some of which belong to the Mekdeci Mining Corporation(MMC) whose principal is Andrew Mekdeci, are now traversing the streets on a constant basis. The road is now in a deplorable condition; it was recently repaved in the last few years.

Efforts to reach officials at the EPA on Friday proved futile. The News Room plans to closely follow the development of this story.