Tourism Ministry to Assist with Redevelopment of Hope Gardens

The Ministry of Tourism is currently in discussion with the Hope Gardens Foundation for the redevelopment of those botanical gardens in Kingston.
Already, $22 million has been provided by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) for capital development work, under phase one of the project. This was disclosed by Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, at the post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on February 13.
“That will take it to a particular stage, then they (the Foundation) will come back to us, on the basis of the overall plan. In fact, in another two weeks, they are to give us a schematic of the whole development of Hope Gardens, so that we can see exactly where we are going and to determine the extent of the further involvement that we will have,” the Tourism Minister outlined. The Minister told journalists that work on the gardens would begin shortly.
The Ministry of Agriculture has given a 49-year lease to the Foundation for the purpose of this development.
“We are comfortable with the design that has been put forward,” Mr. Bartlett said.