Development first on JLP agenda if elected

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Sunday | July 29, 2007

By: Gareth Manning, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) says it will streamline the development process in its first 100 days in office if elected on August 27.

Speaking at a recent Gleaner Editors' Forum, Shirley Williams, Shadow Minister on Industry, Commerce and Investment, said part of a JLP administration's focus would be on urban renewal, with a view to implementing existing development orders. According to her, two thirds of the parishes have developmentorders which stipulate certain developmental regulations and land-use policies. However, not many are followed, while some are outdated.

Development order pulled

"When we left government in [1989], we had a new Kingston development order at the printers; the (incoming) Government pulled it ... They don't have anything to replace it. We are working from a 1966 Kingston development order," Williams stated.

But, she said much can be achieved by instituting the existing development orders. "In the first 100 days, just working with the existing planning process, [we can streamline the development process]. We met with planners and with the private sector, and we discussed it," she disclosed.

Among the areas that could benefit, she purports, are urban towns and areas along the coastline, where land-use regulations in these areas are designated under the Town and Country Planning Act. So, those regulations would be implemented.

The Caymanas Park lands in St. Catherine are one piece of real estate a JLP administration would develop. According to Karl Samuda, Shadow Minister on Foreign Trade, this property would be a far more efficient and attractive site for relocating the Tinson Pen Aerodrome, which Government is now considering removing from its present location on Marcus Garvey Drive, St. Andrew.

"No geographical area constitutes a greater, natural advantage to productive expansion than Caymanas. You have the workforce (in the surrounding Portmore community), you have the shipping, you have the infrastructure, you have telecommunications, you have everything," says Samuda.

No more squatting

The JLP also has plans to deal with existing squatter settlements in areas covered by development orders. Williams says a JLP government would move to regularise the settlements and enact law to prevent further settlement in these communities.

"This will be a government that is going to say no more squatting anywhere and bring the force of law to bear, while we deal with those that cannot be reversed," she says.

Further, the JLP says it will be seeking to create better links among the sectors to provide more employment opportunities for especially young graduates. Williams says the information and communication and technology sector will be given focus.

"The party leader and I have been meeting with investors and looking carefully at the type of investment that we want to bring here," she states.

"We are not going to do what the PNP did. They brought US$3.8 billion in investment here without the linkages. Not many jobs or growth were created out of that," she argues.