The Government of Jamaica is taking steps to promote and encourage the greater development of downtown Kingston.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, made the announcement at the official opening of the new Grace Kennedy Headquarters in the nation’s capital recently.
Holness said the Government has a clear and strategic plan to transform the skyline of downtown Kingston to become the pearl of the Antilles.
“The UDC has several projects for downtown Kingston including apartment buildings, office buildings, parking facilities and cultural and entertainment facilities and then of course you would have heard as well about the Government circle project and then you would have heard the Minister of National Security also speak about the police plaza where we’ve identified the lands for that. I looked at some amazing architectural designs that are in place and the list of projects that I’ve seen would be about 15 major construction projects slated for Kingston and St. Andrew”, said Holness.
Holness also outlined that the Government already has policy incentives in place for tax incentives to promote further construction in the area.
“The Government is going to be very aggressive in encouraging and promoting further developments like this. We already have incentive policies in place with the tax incentives for construction in this area (downtown). We want to see more companies take advantage of it,” he said.
Holness also said that the necessary budgetary allocations will be made to facilitate the transformation.
“The necessary utility infrastructure, sewage, and water in particular – sewage along this stretch, that investment will be made, we have already scoped it, we know what the cost is and it will be programmed in budgets to come. We’re making the necessary provisions to bring water into this area and we have already made the budgetary provisions for those – so the government is going to put in place everything to make sure when you decide to build you are well facilitated”, stated Holness.
