New Kingston revitalisation plan enters implementation phase

Plans to revitalise the New Kingston Business District are now moving into the implementation phase, with coordinated measures being undertaken to address homelessness, public safety, sanitation, and environmental concerns.

The initiative, being spearheaded by State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Delano Seiveright, and Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Andrew Swaby, follows a recent meeting at the Ministry aimed at advancing the implementation of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) Plan of Action for the Renewal of the New Kingston Business District.

A key component of the initiative is the delivery of coordinated care and support services for vulnerable individuals in the area, including persons experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, and substance abuse issues.

Seiveright said the initiative must strike a balance between enhancing the business district and ensuring that vulnerable individuals are treated with dignity.

“This has to be thoughtful and humane. We are dealing with people, including some experiencing serious mental-health, substance-abuse and other social challenges. Improving New Kingston and treating vulnerable people with dignity are not competing objectives,” he said.

Initial outreach and assessment activities that commenced in the Dumfries Road gully and the wider New Kingston area have identified approximately 20 men and eight women residing in the gully, along with another eight persons sleeping in and around New Kingston.

The coordinated response brings together the KSAMC’s Poor Relief Department, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, mental health service providers, the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Bellevue Hospital, the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), and the New Kingston Civic Association, alongside private-sector partners.

The intervention will include trust-building exercises, individual needs assessments, mental health and substance abuse evaluations, and family tracing, where appropriate.

The Desmond McKenzie Transitional Facility has been identified as one accommodation option, while individuals requiring acute psychiatric care will remain under the supervision of Bellevue Hospital until they are sufficiently stabilised for possible transition.

Seiveright said the initiative is intended to improve coordination among existing agencies and programmes, rather than establish parallel systems.

“Mayor Swaby and the KSAMC have been absolutely critical, while the TPDCo and the New Kingston Civic Association team have been key drivers in maintaining momentum. Any city worth its salt needs business and entertainment districts that are clean, organised, safe, aesthetically pleasing and welcoming; but how we achieve that matters,” he stated.

Swaby and the KSAMC will play a central role in implementing the initiative through the Municipality’s Poor Relief Department, Engineering Division, and other support services.

Day-to-day coordination is being led by TPDCo Destination Manager, Mikisha Silvera, and President of the Civic Association, Dayton Wood, in collaboration with the KSAMC and other stakeholders.

The initiative also includes measures to improve sanitation, clean public spaces, clear gullies, and undertake longer-term streetscape enhancement and beautification projects.

Stakeholders are aiming to commence coordinated action shortly, subject to the readiness of participating agencies and the completion of necessary logistical arrangements.

The broader initiative has received strong backing from a range of corporate and civic stakeholders, including Scotiabank, Sagicor Group Jamaica, Pan Jamaica Property, Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS), ATL Automotive, Restaurants of Jamaica, and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC).

The engagement has also gained momentum following outreach by entertainment entrepreneur Romeich Major to Seiveright, advocating for greater focus on the district as nightlife activity returns to the Knutsford Boulevard corridor with the opening of Komomai Lounge.

Stakeholders envision an 18-month programme encompassing rehabilitation and case management, transitional housing, employment opportunities, social reintegration, and urban renewal initiatives, including improvements to public spaces.

Seiveright said New Kingston could ultimately serve as a pilot project for a more integrated approach to similar challenges in other urban centres across Jamaica.

He said success will be measured not only by the rehabilitation and reintegration of vulnerable individuals but also by improvements in the overall experience of workers, residents, businesses, and visitors in the district.

“A caring city should also be a safe, clean and well-organised city,” Seiveright underscored.

- JIS News

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