Stop Order

(1) Where a person carries out any work without a permit or does any act or fails to do an act in contravention of this Act or regulations made, the Director or a Building Unit may issue an order in writing, called a “Stop Order”, to such person directing him to cease, by a date specified in the order, the activities specified in the order. (2) Where a person to whom an order is issued under sub- section (1), fails to take appropriate steps to ensure the cessation of the activity to which the order relates, he commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both such fine and term of imprisonment. 28 (3) Where a person fails or neglects to comply with an order made under sub-section (1), the Director or the Building Unit may execute or cause to be executed the work which the person has failed or neglected to carry out, and any expenses incurred by the Director or Building Unit, shall be a civil debt due to the Director or the Building Unit, as the case may be, from the person who has failed or neglected to comply with the order. (4) The Authority, after consultation with local authorities, may make regulations under this section specifying the circumstances under which a Stop Order may be issued. (5) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-section (4), regulations made under this section may prohibit a person from– (a) erecting a structure without an approved (b) erecting a structure contrary to an approved (c) erecting a structure without an approved plan on site; (d) erecting a structure without obtaining the approval from a building inspector to proceed; (e) demolishing a structure without permission; (f) proceeding with the erection, demolishing or alteration of any structure based on reasons of public safety, or the reasonable likelihood of damage to public or private property. (6) A Stop Order issued under this section becomes effective29 (a) when served personally on any person above the age of eighteen years on the premises identified in the order; (b) when posted in a conspicuous place on any part of the premises identified in the order; (c) after being published in three consecutive issues of the Gazette; or (d) after being published in three consecutive issues of a newspaper circulating in the area to which the premises identified in the order is situated.