UDC Chairman says no lease arrangements appears on title for Goat Island

UDC Chairman KD Knight, during an interview last evening on Nationwide indicated that he has in his possession a copy of the title for Goat Island and there was no endorsement of a lease on the copy of the title he had on his desk. This title had a date of 1972, which was just two years after the UDC was incorporated.

He said, he believes that if a lease actual exist and is valid, it would have been present on the document, but if one does in fact exist , he does not see the USA standing in the way of  negotiations to give up the lease.

In addition he said if a valid lease is in effect, the UDC would have been receiving some sort of income from the USA Government and he has not seen any such payments being made to the corporation.

I however think the above reasoning( last sentence) is flawed given the following

1. Lease was between UK Government and USA.
2. USA would not have recognized UDC as the entity owning GOAT Island and hence would not have been remitting any such funds to the entity. UDC was incorporated 30 yrs after the lease
3. There appears to be nothing to suggest a transfer of the property from whoever owned it prior to it being turned over to the UDC. It may therefore be that body which is responsible for collection of the lease if one exist.

Whatever the case, Mr Knight said he believes negotiations is the way and he sees this being settled amicably.

He went unto to make a number of other statements, which made him sound so much more knowledgeable about the environment, that the current minister that holds portfolio responsibility for that ministry.

Mr Knight also noted that there has been no communication between himself and Robert Pickersgill since his return from China two weeks ago and indicated that talk of using GOAT Island as the transshipment hub is very premature.

We have heard more from everyone on this matter, than those who actually went on the trip and to whom statements have been attributed on the possible use of GOAT Island as a transshipment hub. Can we expect any-word anytime soon from the delegation that went to China.

I will not let the “war” in the JLP distract me from my focus on governance in this country, this is commonsenseja second request for this group inclusive of the reclusive Prime Minister to speak to the Jamaica people and end the  gross disrespect!