THE EDITOR, Sir:
FOR YEARS the Government of Jamaica talked of developing downtown Kingston as a tourist destination and a better place for Jamaicans to shop, by cleaning up the city's streets, particularly of vending which is a major problem for pedestrians and businesses alike.
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has announced that a non-profit company is to be set up to spearhead re-development in the business district. The Opposition Leader Mr. Seaga, the business communities and the vendors' representatives endorsed this idea. The National Commercial Bank has already committed $15 million as equity. The Kingston Restoration Company (KRC), the United Vendors' Association (UVA), the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) have all shown interest, with the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) responsible for preparing and developing with funding from an international lending agency.
Since the start of 2003, the Government, with the help of the Metropolitan Parks and Markets (MPM) and the police, has succeeded in getting the vendors off the major thoroughfares, reducing congestion and freeing up
pedestrian and vehicular traffic, but that is just the first step. There is a lot more to be done and I want the Government to pay attention carefully to:
The immediate demolishing of abandoned and dilapidated buildings.
Action against sewage running on some of our city streets.
A proper garbage-disposal system.
Proper public sanitary conveniences.
The numerous mentally-challenged street people in and around the business district.
These are just some of the things the Government must correct to ensure that the re-development programmes have any chance of being successful.
I am, etc.,
DAVID BLAGROVE
31 McKinley Crescent
Kingston
