Good plan for urban renewal
published: Friday | May 2, 2003
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I APPLAUD the Prime Minister for his initiative towards establishing an affordable housing programme in the Corporate Area's inner cities. It is to the Government's credit that it has appropriated the models of urban renewal found in Malaysia and other urban areas of the Far East, where they have been employed to great success.
The challenge in applying these to Kingston, however, lies not just in modifying them to Jamaica's building codes, but in careful master planning to ensure their correct siting and organisation, and thus their viability in the long term. Each project or building group should be designed to be integral to the larger city, linked to its surroundings by facilities which attract the city's residents, and by a network of pedestrian-friendly walks.
In strengthening relationships within and amongst the communities of Kingston, the 'garrison' mentality would subside, to be replaced by a mutual sense of security and well-being.
