KSAMC, JSE Partner to Improve Gold Street Under New MOU

A formal partnership to support downtown Kingston’s revitalisation has been sealed between the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) and the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE).

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the adoption and maintenance of a section of Gold Street, downtown Kingston, has been signed between the KSAMC and JSE.

The agreement forms part of the KSAMC’s Cleaner Kingston Initiative and will allow the JSE to beautify and maintain the designated area, easing long-standing challenges around parking and environmental degradation.

Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Andrew Swaby, in his address at the signing ceremony held on Monday (June 23) at the JSE Headquarters on Harbour Street, hailed the partnership as a symbol of “two key institutions working together, tackling the real challenges through partnership and creating safer and cleaner spaces and supporting downtown revitalization”.

He described the signing as “a long time in coming”, adding that “for the Jamaica Stock Exchange… it helps them [resolve] the longstanding issue [of] parking on Gold Street and upgrading the security of the area”.

He also highlighted the city’s intent to curb illegal dumping and rehabilitate neglected spaces through similar partnerships.

JSE Managing Director, Dr. Marlene Street Forrest, in her remarks, noted that access to parking is key to the revitalisation of downtown.

She emphasised the JSE’s commitment to upholding its end of the agreement.

“We know our responsibilities under that MOU, and that is to beautify and keep that area in a way that not only the citizens down here will know that we are in accord with our civic responsibility but everyone else,” she said.

For his part, Chief Executive Officer of the KSAMC, Robert Hill, praised the collaboration between the entities.

“The Jamaica Stock Exchange will now adopt and maintain and beautify and secure part of Gold Street, which is to the east of the property… giving back to the city and the citizens of Kingston and St. Andrew,” he said.

Mr. Hill also commended Dr. Street Forrest, who is set to retire soon, for her transformational leadership.

“You have certainly changed the face, shape and the identity of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, not only in Jamaica but certainly through the Caribbean, Latin America,” he pointed out.

The initiative is expected to bring tangible benefits to the surrounding community by creating a cleaner, safer, and more welcoming environment for residents, visitors, and businesses alike.

Both the KSAMC and the JSE expressed interest in expanding their partnership to support urban renewal and economic activity in downtown Kingston.