Security concerns linger at Ruthven Towers despite promised CCTV installation
Published:Sunday | January 26, 2025 | 12:10 AM
With three break-ins at Ruthven Towers Phase 1 in New Kingston over a two-year period, residents have complained about the lack of proper maintenance and bushing of an adjoining property owned by the National Housing Trust (NHT).
]The residents told The Sunday Gleaner that the property, which formerly housed the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), now provides a cover for persons involved in illegal activities.
When The Sunday Gleaner visited the area more than a week ago, the property was overgrown and there were clear signs that the old CISOCA building had become a shelter and a place for persons to relieve themselves.
President of the interim Ruthven Towers Strata, Anthony McKoy, said homeowners have written to the NHT, urging it to remove the derelict building but to date the structure remains.
He said the NHT had invested in blocking up and grilling the buildings; however, trespassers have removed that investment, including lumber and zinc and any metal they could find, and are living in the buildings.
Further, McKoy indicated that the NHT has been informed that persons have used the area as an access/escape route to steal solar lights from the Ruthven Towers property costing thousands of dollars. Additionally, he said persons in conflict with the law have also used the heavily vegetated area and the gully as an escape route on at least two occasions.
He said there were three break-ins over the last year even as the NHT failed to deliver a security camera system for Ruthven Towers.
McKoy disclosed that the property was delivered without security cameras and it was not until two years later that the resources were provided by NHT to install the cameras. He said it was within that time the break-ins occurred.
The development has also been using its emergency exit as its main gate for the past two years. The main entrance to the north on Ruthven Road had to be blocked off to prevent floodwaters from inundating the parking lot.
The strata president said residents had anticipated that all the security controls from the main gate would have been transferred to the emergency gate. However, as of last week, at the time of the interview with McKoy, the security controls had not been transferred.
Assistant General Manager of Corporate Affairs Dwayne Berbick said the property, which housed the former offices of CISOCA, is owned by the trust and was designated for Phase 2 of the development.
As part of managing the property, Berbick said the area was cleared of vegetation in October 2024 and lights were installed along the perimeter wall of phase 1.
He said a further clearing of the property is to start by the end of January 2025.
“The procurement for the demolition and removal of the structures is in progress and based on the scope of the works, the scheduled completion is June 2025,” Berbick said.
Commenting on other security concerns, Berbick said the NHT has facilitated the installation of a CCTV system and had processed the payment for and on behalf of the residents. He said this was not a part of the project scope.
In addition, he said the NHT is in the process of having additional security sensors installed with completion expected by March 2025.
“The security controls at the main entrance are complete as all controls required of the new gate were installed,” the NHT spokesman said, adding that action to close off the north access point is permanent.
Berbick said the claims of break-ins require investigation by the police. The NHT spokesman said he hoped the affected residents had reported the incidents to the police.
“The NHT is aware of two incidents; however, the NHT has not been advised of the circumstances and awaits the results of the investigations.”