WHERE ARE THE BUILDING CODES for the stores and malls in our City and across our island? In the last five years I have seen the transformation of stores into malls with no second door exit or fire escape routes.
What I’ve observed is this type of building divided into eight or ten floor spaces with rental between $3 000 and $4 500 monthly.
The love of money, I believe, is behind this development.
How can the owners of these properties get away with it? When it comes to the construction of a private dwelling of timber and wall, you’d be amazed at the terms and conditions I, as a citizen, have to adhere to for a proposed home for five people.
The powers that be, all organisations and landlords need to have cordial discussion on this matter of exit doors and fire escapes.
Think of how the numbers of people who patronise these establishments daily are being put at risk.
Without them there would be no need for small entrepreneurs – which means these rented places would become vacant.
I have faith in Chief Town Planner Mark Cummins that these buildings, constructed as they are, will become a thing of the past. Initially, my anger was directed at the Town Planning Department until Mr Cummins reiterated in a number of news interviews under which department building codes fall.
WENDELL TAYLOR
