Central Kingston residents anxious for redevelopment of area
ACKNOWLEDGING THE need for the redevelopment of their communities, residents of central Kingston appear to have welcomed Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ reasons for wanting to construct the new Parliament building at National Heroes Park as he addressed them during a government-organised townhall meeting on Thursday night.
They held no punches, however, when given the chance to question the prime minister and government ministers about matters affecting them, noting that they might have to part ways with their property to facilitate the redevelopment of the area.
Milton Samuda, chairman of the Wolmer’s Boys School Trust, wanted to know the “compelling” reason why the Parliament building had to be constructed inside the park. He pointed out that several professionals believed that building it outside of the park was a better option as it would leave the existing green space intact.
Holness responded: “I don’t want to get into the semantics of an argument, but the argument could very well be made about green spaces – that we need to develop those elsewhere also, that this is not the only place where we could develop a green space. So in the same way, the Parliament could be located elsewhere, the green space could be developed elsewhere, but that’s semantics.”
He continued: “The compelling reason is that from a historical point of view, from the founding of the nation, it was conceived to have a government campus, and it was conceived to be here, which is central. You will note as well that in terms of establishing the cadastral coordinates, the central peg is right in this area. So there is some historical claim to using this spot.”
UNSANITARY DISPOSAL OF WASTE
The 2017 Prime Minister Youth Awardee, Lawrence Rowe, commended the Holness-led administration for what he said was the opportunity to raise critical issues pertaining to Allman Town, one of the communities to be affected.
He told the prime minister that some residents were still disposing of their bodily waste in ways that were unsanitary and repulsive.
“I must tell you, Prime Minister, that people in Allman Town up to today still defecate in plastic bags and throw them on people’s housetops. And so, Mr Prime Minister, we have been contributing to the National Housing Trust, we have been paying our taxes, and the development to come, we see it as our partner draw, and we must commend you for implementing this programme. We have been promised housing development, and for me, I don’t care who brings this as long as it comes,” Rowe said to a rapturous round of cheers from the audience.
IDEA NOT TO RELOCATE
Resident Sashauna McLeod wanted to know if a site had been identified for those who might have to be relocated.
“The idea of relocation is not to take people out of the community. Buildings don’t make a community. It is the people who make a community. The energy comes from the people who are here and who will come to live here. They form the community. It is not our intention to sanitise and uproot and destroy an area,” Holness said in response.
“It is about building new infrastructure and providing new residential solutions so that people who are already living here can occupy them. In addition to doing that, we will provide the modality by which it can be afforded. So I want to assure you, it’s not the intention to relocate and disturb the community, but to provide the opportunity so that community members will live in better circumstances.”