BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – “We are really praying and asking those in authority, especially the Government, the Attorney General and all those, would bear in mind that New Birth Gospel Tabernacle has suffered enough up to this day. Enough is enough!”
That is one of the statements Bishop Cyprian Williams made at a press conference the New Birth Gospel Tabernacle Church held yesterday (Oct. 29) at its Cayon location.
It has been quite some time since the leaders of that religious organisation and the Government been holding discussions with regards to a plot of land in Cabbage Tree Housing Development - lots 19 and 97 - where management of the church had begun construction of their place of worship.
However, the Building and Planning Board had written to the organisation’s management indicating that they were putting a halt to the construction because of objections raised by residents in that area.
In an effort to appease both parties, the Government had allocated a plot of land at Cunningham Estate to the church in exchange for the one in Cabbage Tree.
However, at yesterday’s press conference, Pastor Orville Liddie explained that it has been over one year since works had stopped and their lawyers have been negotiating with the Government.
He did however confirm receiving a letter from the Government on March 2, 2017, which indicated that they were allocated “a promised acre of land and the details would be worked out later”.
According to Liddie, it has been seven months since the receipt of that letter and they had come to realize that nothing was done about the land, adding that they had subsequently written to the Government requesting permission to commence construction on Friday, October 13, 2017.
“We did not get a response officially,” he said. “However, the lawyers got a copied letter from the Government letting us know that the process had already started, where we saw that the promised land had been pushed and cleared off.”
Pastor Liddie also explained that they had received a letter dated October 20, 2017, informing that the land had been cleared but the Government was asking for additional time to process all the documents.
He noted that both the church and the Government are waiting for the plot to be registered.
Bishop Williams explained that they have so far expended over $100,000 to begin construction and relocation of the church.
He noted that at least $52,000 was spent between March and October this year, while $58,000 was spent in 2016.
“Remember when they stopped us we were already in the process of excavating the land, the foundation and all of these stuff, and the laying out of the building, which we already paid the guy,” the Bishop disclosed.
Confirming the amount of money that was spent, Pastor Liddie chipped in: “That amount was about $58,000 before. And we are talking about the plans and everything, because that was the amount that included the clearing of that land, dealing with the engineering and the stuff for the plan and everything…all that was $58,000.”
Bishop Williams intimated that he does not have a problem extending more time to the Government, noting that after reviewing the land they have recognized that a lot of work still needs to be done on the location, including paving a road.
“We observed that there was supposed to be a 30-foot access road that was supposed to be cleared off and it has not, so we are asking them to do that,” the Bishop said.
At his last monthly press conference on Wednesday (Oct. 25), when asked for an update on the situation with the church and the Government, Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris said: “That matter is being advanced and the attorneys for the church are well aware [and] up to date for the developments for the lands.”
Offering additional information, Attorney-General Hon. Vincent Byron stated that officials at the Ministry of Sustainable Development had cleared the plot of land in exchange for the first one and it is currently in the process of being registered.
