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500 truckloads of sand missing
Opposition warns of cover-up
Police says it won't be rushed
Thursday, October 16, 2008
An aerial view of a beach front at one of the many hotels under construction in Jamaica which are being checked for stolen sand. Police say they have not yet completed their investigations and no conclusions have been drawn.
THE police yesterday rejected a suggestion by the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) of a possible cover-up in the probe into the theft of 500 truckloads of sand, saying the investigation was complex and would not be rushed.
"There has been speculation that this enquiry is a simple investigation that should have already been completed. The reality is that it is far from straight forward; it is a complex enquiry involving many individuals, private companies and agencies of government," the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said in a press statement responding to Opposition Spokesman on Tourism, Dr Wykeham McNeill.
A day earlier, McNeill called on the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to "break its silence" on the issue of the sand stolen in July from a prime 64-acre property at Coral Spring near Duncans in Trelawny.
The theft forced the developers, Felicitas Limited, to call off a proposed $8-billion beachfront development, for which the beach would be the centrepiece.
Felicitas is jointly owned by 15 of Jamaica's most successful entrepreneurs who shared a common dream of developing 36 six-star, luxury villas with spa, restaurant, amphitheatre and marina in phase one, that would serve as a catalyst for undeveloped Trelawny.
Immediate speculation as to who could want that volume of sand that is said to be of no use to the construction industry, turned to the possibility that the culprits could be in the hotel sector where beaches are an enviable asset.
McNeill said that in August, one month later, the country had been informed that a report had gone to Cabinet and was being forwarded to the police fraud squad. However, since then there had been a deafening silence on the matter.
"How could 500 truckloads of sand be stolen, transported and sold, and after three months the country still does not have a definitive report as to what happened," the tourism spokesman asked, suggesting that the "continuing silence could lead to speculation of a cover up".
Believing that McNeill's criticism was aimed at it, the JCF insisted that the investigation into the stolen sand from Coral Springs was ongoing.
"The JCF recognises the need for accuracy and as such will conduct the enquiry thoroughly and will not be rushed into taking action until every aspect has been properly investigated.
"Part of the investigation includes the analyses of various sand samples collected at the site of the stolen sand in Trelawny and other places. An initial report was received from National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), although forensic examination of all samples is yet to be completed," the police statement said.
"The JCF wishes to assure the public that it is working closely with other agencies and doing all that it can to expedite the progress of the investigation.
A further statement will be made in due course."
Police sources told the Observer that nearly all hotels with beaches in Jamaica were being checked by investigators who have concluded that the stolen sand was of little value to the construction industry.
NEPA, the police and the Mines and Geology Department are carrying out the investigations which are being marshalled by state minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Daryl Vaz. See editorial
Police says it won't be rushed
Thursday, October 16, 2008
An aerial view of a beach front at one of the many hotels under construction in Jamaica which are being checked for stolen sand. Police say they have not yet completed their investigations and no conclusions have been drawn.THE police yesterday rejected a suggestion by the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) of a possible cover-up in the probe into the theft of 500 truckloads of sand, saying the investigation was complex and would not be rushed.
"There has been speculation that this enquiry is a simple investigation that should have already been completed. The reality is that it is far from straight forward; it is a complex enquiry involving many individuals, private companies and agencies of government," the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said in a press statement responding to Opposition Spokesman on Tourism, Dr Wykeham McNeill.
A day earlier, McNeill called on the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to "break its silence" on the issue of the sand stolen in July from a prime 64-acre property at Coral Spring near Duncans in Trelawny.
The theft forced the developers, Felicitas Limited, to call off a proposed $8-billion beachfront development, for which the beach would be the centrepiece.
Felicitas is jointly owned by 15 of Jamaica's most successful entrepreneurs who shared a common dream of developing 36 six-star, luxury villas with spa, restaurant, amphitheatre and marina in phase one, that would serve as a catalyst for undeveloped Trelawny.
Immediate speculation as to who could want that volume of sand that is said to be of no use to the construction industry, turned to the possibility that the culprits could be in the hotel sector where beaches are an enviable asset.
McNeill said that in August, one month later, the country had been informed that a report had gone to Cabinet and was being forwarded to the police fraud squad. However, since then there had been a deafening silence on the matter.
"How could 500 truckloads of sand be stolen, transported and sold, and after three months the country still does not have a definitive report as to what happened," the tourism spokesman asked, suggesting that the "continuing silence could lead to speculation of a cover up".
Believing that McNeill's criticism was aimed at it, the JCF insisted that the investigation into the stolen sand from Coral Springs was ongoing.
"The JCF recognises the need for accuracy and as such will conduct the enquiry thoroughly and will not be rushed into taking action until every aspect has been properly investigated.
"Part of the investigation includes the analyses of various sand samples collected at the site of the stolen sand in Trelawny and other places. An initial report was received from National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), although forensic examination of all samples is yet to be completed," the police statement said.
"The JCF wishes to assure the public that it is working closely with other agencies and doing all that it can to expedite the progress of the investigation.
A further statement will be made in due course."
Police sources told the Observer that nearly all hotels with beaches in Jamaica were being checked by investigators who have concluded that the stolen sand was of little value to the construction industry.
NEPA, the police and the Mines and Geology Department are carrying out the investigations which are being marshalled by state minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Daryl Vaz. See editorial