| Mon - Thur 8:30 am - 5:00pm, Friday 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
| Government of Jamaica ja-flag

Ministry of
Economic Growth
& Infrastructure Development

Category: Article

Home » Category: Article

Category: Article

Rain Gardens and their Potential for Use in Urban Jamaica by Tariq King

Posted on by Andie Spencer

As the major Central Business District of Jamaica, the Kingston and St. Andrew (KSA) Region is covered by many impermeable surfaces that lead to significant surface runoff, often more than the capacity of the Storm Water Management Systems (SWMS) of the city. This leads to scenes of destructive flash floods seen in concerning frequency in the last few years becoming more common sights as urban flooding increases during periods of heavy rainfall.

For more Information Check out the following Document: 

RAIN GARDENS AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR USE IN URBAN JAMAICA

Urban Greening in Jamaica: The Vital Role of Trees in Sustainable City Development by Tetrice Prendergast

Posted on by Andie Spencer

Trees are much more than scenic additions to our landscapes—they are fundamental to ecological balance, environmental sustainability, and human well-being. In Jamaica, a tropical island renowned for its rich biodiversity and vibrant urban centers, trees are an often-undervalued piece of the urban infrastructure. Urban greening is increasingly vital amidst rapid urbanisation and climate change, especially in the Kingston and St. Andrew Metropolitan Area (KMA), which experienced a 1.6% population increase between 2001 – 2011 (STATIN). Based on development trends since 2011, the KMA has continued to expand and therefore, green infrastructure and urban greening is not merely an aesthetic choice but the essential strategy for creating a resilient, healthy, and economically viable city.

Legal Framework Supporting Tree Conservation in Jamaica

Jamaica has established key legislation aimed at conserving natural resources and promoting environmental sustainability, including:

  • Natural Resources Conservation (NRCA) Act, 1991: Focuses on the sustainable management of natural resources, including forests and biodiversity.
  • Town and Country Planning Act (Tree Preservation) Regulations, 1967: Provides guidelines for protecting trees during urban development.
  • Forest Act, 1996 and the Forest Policy for Jamaica, 2017: Emphasise the conservation, sustainable management, and expansion of forested areas.

Though effective for natural resource conservation, its reach into urban greening is mainly limited by their jurisdiction over protected areas. The jurisdictional gap, combined with inadequate enforcement makes it challenging to appropriately translate these environmental principles into contemporary urban development and approval processes. Jamaica will require the establishment of more specific laws to aid in making urban greening a mandatory practice if we desire the benefits of it.

Issues facing the KMA

Due to rapid urban expansion and rural to urban migration, some issues have arisen that affect the quality of life in these areas. This growth is accompanied by several challenges whether economic, social, environmental and/or infrastructure related. In focusing on the latter, further issues can be detailed, such as increased traffic congestion, poor infrastructure and climate change impacts. These emerging issues contribute significantly to the degradation of the local environment – poor air quality, high levels of ambient noise, derelict land, greenhouse gas emissions, poor drainage and flooding.

The Caribbean lies within the tropical belt expected to experience extreme climate conditions before 2050. Kingston, due to its location, is especially vulnerable to rising temperatures and severe weather caused by global warming. A 2013 University of Hawaii study projected Kingston would reach “climate departure” by 2023—where the hottest recorded year becomes the new average, reflecting record-breaking heat. In August

2023, climate scientist Professor Michael Taylor noted in the Jamaica Gleaner that it will take a few years to confirm if Kingston has indeed reached this point. Nonetheless, rising temperatures persist, aligning with global warming trends.

Climate-resilient, sustainable urban planning is essential to address these issues and prevent them from worsening. Key solutions include urban greening through green infrastructure, tree planting, deliberate design of vegetated spaces, and improved management of existing greenery. Trees are crucial in mitigating the negative effects of our tropical climate and helping to manage urbanization challenges. Increasing awareness of the benefits of trees and flora will enhance our ability to protect them at all levels—national, regional, and local.

For more Information Check out the following Document: 

URBAN GREENING IN JAMAICA THE VITAL ROLE OF TREES IN SUSTAINABLE CITY DEVELOPMENT

 

The Mhurikay: A Case for an Additional New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) Modality by Cindy Archat

Posted on by Andie Spencer

The Mhurikay: A Case for an Additional New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) Modality

The Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC), through its housing portfolio, assesses government owned lands for future utilization, undertakes pre-planning and planning assessments, plans and implements housing projects. MEGJC also monitors the implementation of joint ventures and facilitation projects, upgrades existing sites, maintains infrastructure prior to handing over to local authorities and maintains government owned rental housing units and properties.

One of the flagship initiatives under the housing portfolio is the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP), which was established in 2018 by Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, under the larger Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment (HOPE) programme. The NSHP was developed to improve the housing condition of the country’s poor and disadvantaged population by providing quality, affordable and sustainable housing.

In order to maximize its effectiveness, the NSHP has been divided into three (3) implementation modalities:

  • The provision of indigent housing
  • Relocation of vulnerable communities facing imminent risk
  • The Upgrading of Tenements (‘Big Yards’)

However, while these modalities have been well-received and very successful, there may be room for additional considerations in the form of a gated community targeted specifically at the country’s poor and indigent population. Similar to the upgrading of tenements, this proposed modality examines establishing a family centred community for various families in need in one central location but includes additional amenities for the identified families.

For more Information Check out the following Document:

A Case for an Additional New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) Modality by Cindy Archat.

Reimagining the Gateway to Kingston by Lajoy Edghill

Posted on by Andie Spencer

Reimagining the Gateway to Kingston: Why City Entrances Matter

The entrance to a city offers more than just access-it sets the tone for experience. Like the cover of a book or the overture to a symphony, city gateways are the starting point of perception, and can shape lasting impressions of place, culture, and potential. For Kingston, Jamaica’s capital and commercial heart, this concept takes on heightened significance.

Despite our country’s global influence, renowned for reggae, athletics, and natural beauty, the entrances to our cities often fail to reflect our dynamism. This is especially true for Kingston, a city rich in cultural, creative, and historical significance. Today, the arrival route from the Norman Manley International Airport and the Port Royal Cruise Port leaves much to be desired.

This article makes the case for revitalizing Kingston’s primary city gateway—transforming it into a vibrant, welcoming corridor that reflects our identity and invites investment, civic pride, and cultural celebration. Drawing from global case studies and urban design research, we explore how the transformation of city entrances has catalyzed urban renewal elsewhere, and why Kingston is poised for the same.

The Power of the First Impression

A city’s entrance provides a literal and metaphorical window for perception of the city’s identity. Cities are complex, living organisms that evolve to meet social, economic, cultural, environmental and technological needs. Yet even in their complexity, cities have identities-distinct characteristics shaped by people, place, and history.

Kevin Lynch defines identity as “the distinguishing character of a person or thing,” or more specifically, “the extent to which a person can recognize or recall a place as being distinct from other places” (Lynch, 1981). For Kingston, our distinctiveness is unquestionable. But is it immediately visible to someone just arriving?

The existing approach from the airport to the city core is both underwhelming and unreflective of our global cultural capital. This gateway instead ranges from bland to deteriorated in aesthetics and functionality, and does not paint a justifiable first impression of our nation’s capital. This mismatch between perception and reality presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

For more Information Check out the following Document:
MEGJC Thought Leadership Document