Frequently Asked Questions

Property Taxes

This is an agreement which restricts a landowner in the use and enjoyment of his land so that the value and enjoyment of the adjoining land/landowner will be preserved.

Vendors are actually allowed to sell both food and clothing items; just not in the same space. This is so as to maintain the quality and standard of the foods sold in the markets. Vendors who wish to sell both will need to secure two separate spaces in the market and pay the relevant fees for both spaces since they will be treated as different entities. 

The Clarendon Parish Council does not now provide an express service for building applications. However, the time taken to process an application will depend on the size of the land and the proposed land use. Therefore an application for a minor change or smaller parcel of land would be processed much quicker than for a larger-sized parcel. 

Not normally. The Local Improvement Act strictly sets out the recommended size of lands according to proposed land use. The Act restricts permission for subdivisions on lands smaller than a prescribed acreage/hectares as the land size has to be sufficient to accommodate an onsite sewerage and disposal systems. An exception is made in the case of housing schemes where approval is granted for smaller lots as the developer would have had to submit a subdivision plan with a central sewerage treatment and disposal system. 

No. Persons have to apply in person or others on their behalf or must be referred by another social welfare agency to the Clarendon Parish Council’s poor relief department. An investigation of the person’s case has to carried out and a medical examination done. The examining doctor would then submit a medical report to the poor relief office and the officer completes an application form for admission to the infirmary. An admission ticket is issued which allows for the immediate removal of the client to the Clarendon infirmary.

The Clarendon infirmary cares for a range of residents including the aged, infirmed, physically and mentally challenged and so has varied needs. We use supplies such as dried and tinned good items e.g. flour, sugar, rice, oil; surgical gloves, pain killers, gauze; toilet paper and bed linen on a daily basis. However there is always the need for medical equipment such as surgical gloves, wheelchairs and crutches.

The Jamaica Public Service does the physical work in installing and replacing streetlights, but it is the parish council that identifies where the needs are and pays electricity bills incurred. We fund streetlight installation primarily through the property taxes we collect from our property owners and lessees. This money is however routed through the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development. Therefore the amount we collect in property taxes will have an impact on the number of streetlights we are able to repair or install across the parish.

Yes. However you have  to make all the applications at the same time and request a waiver from the Council.