New Housing Developments Slated for Kingston Western

Ground will shortly be broken to construct 35 housing units in Denham Town, Kingston.  

The new development, dubbed ‘Victoria Villa”, will be sited adjacent to St. Alban’s Primary School. 

This was disclosed by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who informed that ground will be also broken “in short order” for a similar development in another Kingston Western community, Rasta City. 

“The contracts have been tendered and, hopefully, that process can be completed quickly so that we can start the development for Rasta City,” Mr, Holness said. 

He was speaking at a Thanksgiving Church Service, on Sunday (May 29), in honour of late former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga, at the City Mission Pentecostal Church in Denham Town. 

Mr. Holness indicated that Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and Kingston Western Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Desmond McKenzie, informed him that funds have been identified to commence upgrading another community in the area, Board Villa. 

The Prime Minister, who was delivering a tribute to Mr. Seaga, noted that these programmed developments are in keeping with the late former Prime Minister’s vision for the constituency, for which he was MP from 1962 until his retirement from active politics in 2005. 

He advised that these engagements entailed enhancing the housing infrastructure to improve the living condition of West Kingston’s residents. 

The Prime Minister said Mr. Seaga expressed regret at not being able to pilot the housing developments’ completion, while emphasising that the “people who he has left behind… have a duty to complete [them].”  

“His vision was to uplift the community by improving housing and other civil infrastructure; also [the] quality of life by improving the social infrastructure – schools, nurseries, community centres, health centres, parks and markets,” Mr. Holness said. 

He further noted that Mr. Seaga was concerned about the level of violence that impacted the constituency.  

“Above everything else, what he wanted was a community of peace. He wanted the people of West Kingston to be able to live in peace; the struggle continues to bring peace to West Kingston. I am confident [and] optimistic that one day [this will happen],” he said. 

The Prime Minister said his positive outlook is based on the legacy of leadership Mr. Seaga has left behind “through Minister McKenzie, through myself, through the team here in West Kingston, [and] through the youngsters who are coming up.”  

“There is no question that Edward Phillip George Seaga… has served well, that he has given his life to the people. [Further] that his legacy lives on through the people that he has served, through the people he has taught, who he has groomed, who he has assisted, and they have obviously seen it fit to honour him doubly for his work,” Mr. Holness added. 

In his tribute, Minister McKenzie informed that the late former Prime Minister’s legacy is continues to manifest in several ways. 

Among these, he noted, is the Edward Seaga Scholarship that will be awarded to two students from the constituency, one of whom will be enrolled at the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts in the 2022/23 academic year. 

“We are confident that this legacy… was built on a foundation of commitment, love, and respect. I am confident that we are maintaining and building on that legacy,” he said. 

The church service formed part of activities staged in Western Kingston to commemorate the life and work of Jamaica’s fifth Prime Minister. 

This has been done for the past three years, since Mr. Seaga’s passing. This year’s celebration marked the 92nd anniversary of his birth.  

Mr. Seaga, who died at age 89, on May 28, 2019, had the distinction of being the longest-serving MP in the history of Jamaica and the Caribbean region, during his tenure.  

Also attending the service were: Mr. Seaga’s widow, the Most Hon. Carla Seaga, and daughter, Gabrielle; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith; Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams; Kingston Central Member of Parliament, Donovan Williams; and Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) Chief Executive Officer, Robert Hill.