The Editor, Sir:

First, I must thank you for publishing Mr. Neita's view of what and where he thinks the seat and symbol of Government should be. I am sure that more of us are likewise inspired and I do believe that there is national consensus that the present accommodation is woefully inadequate. However, to date all our proposers have ignored the fact that Kingston, and not St. Andrew, is the capital of Jamaica.

There has been at least one successful attempt to return a government ministry to the downtown area, and we must laud the big businesses that have chosen to remain. But the area lacks construction, modernisation and lift. Years ago, the UDC and the Port Authority began to develop the area. The waterfront and the Coronation Market area began to be renewed and rebuilt. Then fortune and politics changed and the urban renewal projects were left to be ruined by nature, criminals and the destitute. I am convinced that, had those projects continued, we would not now be so brazen as to propose to relocate our parliamentary activities elsewhere.

Basic amenities

As I see it, there are a number of basic amenities that any new parliamentary plaza should contain, in addition to the required seating capacity and commensurate amenities for parliamentarians, visitors and press. The experts could adjust to my list below:

1. Parking for at least 400 vehicles. One may want to include a heliport.

2. Dining facilities for at least 300 in one sitting, in addition to facilities for the regular serving of snacks and tea breaks. This should allow parliamentarians and their staff to dine, mingle and be friends, to share ideas and even to facilitate scheduled addresses at luncheons. Parliament would then become a lovely place to be.

3. A sick bay that should have the facilities for multiple private (day)beds, doctors and nurses in attendance and the ability to dispense at least basic medication. We note here that most of our parliamentarians and staff are middle-age or senior citizens.

4. At least six conference rooms in addition to smaller meeting rooms where parliamentarians and their staff can continue the routine of the nation's business on Parliament days.

5. Legal offices, archives and related library, research and support facilities.

6. A security post/police station.

7. A shop or so to sell mementos to those who visit our land and may opt to tour the facilities.

Several possible locations could come to mind, including the dust bowl at Heroes Circle which, I insist, should be properly landscaped, all structures except the shrines, but including that car park, removed and the park left alone.

However, I believe that for urban renewal to continue where it was injudiciously stopped, some things that we hold dear must go, to be replaced by others that enhance present need. It is from that angle that I believe that the Government should seek to acquire two or three city blocks, including the police quarters located at East Queen Street, tear them down and build somewhere that Jamaica can be justly proud. Perhaps we could very well get our police commissioner's office in the process, but certainly, life would be stimulated in the city.

This is one move that I do believe that Jamaicans would not protest. We never did when the Bank of Jamaica was being constructed on the waterfront. Now imagine downtown without the BoJ. This Government and whoever their successor will be needs desperately to put life into the urban renewal process and should they make such an audacious move, then we could see many other investors returning to the shadow of an imposing Parliament structure. I, too, would be very proud to see our Government being run from a building that is perhaps 20 floors up above the noise of downtown traffic with our parliamentarians meeting on top. The cost, I envision, should be in the order of the cost of a stadium but this time spread over two or three budget years. So I too will call for a competition from our architects to design this.

I am, etc.,

STEAD M. Williams

sweng@cwjamaica.com

Via Go-Jamaica