New Building Code to Minimise Damage Caused by Disasters

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, says the Government is in the final stages of enacting a new building code aimed at reducing the vulnerability of Jamaica’s built environment.

At the Caribbean Urban Forum 2018, which was held at the University of Technology (UTech) on June 27, Mr. Shaw said enacting the new building code is imperative for the development of the nation.

“This will ensure public safety and welfare, minimise damage caused by natural and man-made hazards, as well as prevent squatter settlements and promote sustainable development,” Mr. Shaw said.

The Caribbean Urban Forum is a three-day conference designed to address specific policy issues within the Caribbean urban sector, in an effort to further advance land-use planning and urban management within the region. It is being held between June 26 and 29 under the theme ‘Forming the Informal’.

Participants include land-use practitioners, policymakers, academics and allied professionals interested in urban and management issues within the Caribbean.

Mr. Shaw said he welcomes the three-day forum, as it will address the challenges regarding development within the Caribbean region, and present solutions.

“The issue of informality, specifically in the context of social infrastructure development, continues to be a particularly challenging one for developing nations of the Caribbean. We continue to grapple with informal housing and inappropriate land use, as many of our citizens migrate to the urban spaces in search of economic and social opportunities,” the Minister said.

Mr. Shaw commended UTech for conceptualizing such a forum designed to address urban and land-management issues.

“The fact that we are in the sixth such staging is also commendable as UTech continues in its bid to provide the avenue for discussions among local and regional professionals, academics and policymakers on such a pivotal matter,” he said.