Balcombe excavation matter before PM

As more information surfaces involving excavation work carried out in Villa by Cameron ‘Dinky’ Balcombe, SEARCHLIGHT understands that the matter is now in the hands of Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.{{more}}

In a SEARCHLIGHT’s midweek edition exclusive, it was reported that Villa resident Vaughn Toney saw a tractor removing pieces of the land and stones close to where the Taiwanese ambassador’s residence is located, just above the Shell Gas Station.

Toney said a senior employee at the Physical Planning Unit, within the Ministry of Housing etc, told him that Balcombe had been given permission to do work approximately 20 feet away from the road, to make the property safe.

Toney claimed that Balcombe was operating a stone quarry on the property.

It was also noted that an Enforcement Order to stop work had been served, but that order was ignored.

Balcombe on the other hand remained adamant that he had had been granted permission to clear from 15 feet from the road and scrape the land gently with the machine. He denied that he was carrying out any mining on the property.

He said he was only clearing a few trees to make a safer environment for the Taiwanese ambassador.

When SEARCHLIGHT contacted the Prime Minister on Wednesday, he did not comment on the matter, except to say that “ I’m being advised on it. I have seen the report and I have a document in front of me, but I have not studied it and received full advice on it yet.”