THE EDITOR, Sir:THE RECENT brouhaha in response to Commissioner Lucius Thomas's suggestion that there is a need to relocate some of the residents currently living in downtown Kingston is typical of our knee-jerk response to one man's search for solutions to a chronic problem.
HOUSING PROBLEM
And what is the problem? Housing. A few years ago, members of the private sector toured areas within the inner city and expressed horror at the conditions under which people were living. These conditions have not changed. If anything, they have become worse. People live like rats and cockroaches with as many as eight persons to a room with no sanitary conveniences. It is a universal fact that there is a direct correlation between violence and poor housing conditions. The reality is that with the best will in the world and the resources to boot, we cannot solve the development objectives without dealing with the chronic housing problems that exist. If we are serious about reclaiming the magic of downtown Kingston, then we have to recognise that a holistic approach will result in the relocation of some people. Either we are going to knock down those fabulous architectural structures, which are currently our diamond in the rough, and create housing, or we will seek to have a balanced redevelopment, which will inevitably mean some relocation. Factually, many of the residents downtown would welcome the opportunity to relocate to where their children can regularly go to school and where their address is not a stigma when they apply for work.
VITAL CATALYST
Jamaica's tourism, a vital catalyst which drives integrated development, will continue to under perform until we collectively address the issue of downtown Kingston.
Take a look at what has been accomplished in downtown San Juan. There we see a real partnership between public and private sectors coming together in the interest of creating a 'win win' situation for their city. We can do better.
I am, etc.,
JAMES SAMUELS
Kingston
