The government is being urged to intervene urgently to rehabilitate government-owned residential high-rise buildings in Torrington Park and similar buildings across the country.

The call from Member of Parliament for South St Andrew, Mark Golding follows yesterday’s collapse of a section of the staircase of the government-owned high-rise residential building.

Mr Golding says one individual, who was on the staircase at the time was injured, and the residents of the sixteen apartments served by the staircase are left unable to access their homes.

Mr Golding, the opposition leader, says the government intervention should involve immediate support to the injured resident and stranded families.

He states that the residents cannot wait any longer for safe housing.

Mr Golding says this dangerous incident could and should have been avoided.

He explains that since 2018, he has been calling attention to the deteriorating state of the building.

According to Mr Golding he has repeatedly reached out to key officials, including then permanent secretary Audrey Sewell, former Minister of Housing Pearnel Charles in 2021, and Prime Minister Andrew Holness in 2022 and 2023.

He says for nearly five years, there has been no effective action taken to ensure the necessary repairs were done, in spite of meetings, inspections and assurances that the repairs have been approved, only for the work to be deferred, with nothing done to address this avoidable risk.

The South St Andrew MP says the lack of response is not just a matter of bureaucracy and that it reflects a shameful disregard for the lives of the residents of Torrington Park.

He points out that residents of these buildings in Torrington Park have endured years of neglect, living in unsafe conditions, with repeated promises but no meaningful action.

Mr Golding says this is not just a structural failure but a failure of governance.

He states that the government owes Torrington Park more than apologies, it owes them action.