Linden’s Town Clerk, Lennox Gasper, has defended his decision to approve 21 housing plans for residents, addressing concerns of prolonged delays in the approval process.
The decision came after months of waiting, during which residents expressed frustration over the slow pace of approvals for their building plans.
Gasper stepped in to approve the plans, citing internal issues within the council that had caused unnecessary delays.
He emphasized that the plans had already received approval from the Central Housing and Planning Authority and were only pending acknowledgment by the local council for transparency.
Gasper argued that he instructed staff to distribute approval letters to ensure that the council’s business could continue without further hindrance.
However, Deputy Chair of the Housing Committee, Abdullah Hamid, provided a differing perspective, pointing to procedural lapses.
Hamid stated that the necessary site inspections, which are required by council protocol, had not been conducted by himself, other councilors, or the committee chairman, Wainwright Bethune.
Hamid insisted that his refusal to sign off on the plans was due to the unmet requirement of site visits, stressing the importance of following established council policies.
Despite the disagreement, Gasper maintained that his decision to approve the plans was in the town’s best interest, aiming to remove obstacles to development and facilitate the construction process for Linden’s residents.
The approvals mark a significant step toward resolving the backlog of housing plans in Linden, although the differing views within the council highlight ongoing challenges in adhering to procedural standards.