PM Outlines Plans for Central Kingston Development

Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, has informed that there are several project proposals that will directly impact the Central Kingston Constituency, under the Kingston Development Project, that is to be undertaken by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC).
He said it is proposed to establish, in the Parade Gardens area, a cultural village under the theme ‘Out of Many, One People’, to include a Taino village; an English colonial village; a colonial Spanish village; a slave and emancipation village; a plantation village; an Indian village; and a Middle Eastern village.
“The residents of the Parade Gardens area will be trained to prepare cuisine of all the cultural villages. Other custom practices of the period, such as their music and their way of dress, will also be taught, with a view to re-creating the atmosphere. This will form part of the tourist attraction that can also be patronised by Jamaican residents,” Mr Golding said.
The Prime Minister also informed that a diplomatic district and international financial centre, is to be established in the area bounded by Barry Street, the Caribbean Sea, Hanover Street, Water Lane, Victoria Avenue, Duke Street, Port Royal Street, and Orange Street.
Mr. Golding also advised that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, will be building new offices on part of the Old Myrtle Bank lands.
“Other foreign missions have expressed an interest in also relocating downtown. The area delineated above will accommodate all of them,” Mr. Golding said.
Other plans include the proposed establishment of a tertiary educational institution in the Rae Town Community; and the use of the prison lands, once the prison has been relocated, for a mixture of housing solutions to satisfy a range of income groups. Reclamation is also being proposed for land immediately south of the General Penitentiary, to establish a marina complex offering appropriate services, particularly for Rae Town fishermen.
Mr. Golding was responding to questions posed by the Member of Parliament for Central Kingston, Ronald Thwaites, yesterday (Sept.16) in the Lower House, on the development plans of the constituency, which forms part of the Kingston Development Project.