BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - FOLLOWING the land dispute between the government and a religious institution in the Cayon community, questions are being raised over churches located in residential areas.
The issue arose after the Development Control and Planning Board sent a letter to the New Birth Tabernacle Church indicating that it was revoking permission for the church to continue constructing on a plot of land in Cabbage Tree.
According to Bishop Cyprian Williams, Head of that church, the Board cited a petition where neighbours of the church were complaining over it being constructed in a residential area.
That led the pastor to question whether this would be setting a precedent for other churches already established in the various communities, and those under construction.
“Right now, a lot of my colleague pastors are voicing their concerns about their own churches. Because if you have set something for one, and you are saying a church cannot be built in a residential area...then what happen to all those lands that were given out to churches that are in residential areas?”
A number of other questions have been raised, including: should other persons in the Federation petition and complain of noise from churches in residential areas, would those institutions be relocated? What would happen to churches currently under construction in residential areas? Would those processes be halted?
Bishop Williams told reporters that letters would be written to the government on the issue, while pastors and members would be visiting the Development and Planning Board for a position on the matter.
“Because they would have to answer that,” he said. “You can’t wait until people done do all of this stuff…As some of the pastors would tell you, the visitations, the emails, the calls, the prayers have been tremendous. They have said to me, they are very much concerned about this issue.
“Because it means that any two or three homeowners around their churches can sign a petition and have them either closed down or the same situation happen where they can’t build.”
Though the bishop noted during his media briefing that it is merely “advice” being given to government, he said more needs to be done to protect the interest of the church.
