Williams confident ZOSO will turn tide in Kgn Central
Published:Tuesday | January 11, 2022 | 12:09 AMSharlene Hendricks/Staff Reporter
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Kingston Central Member of Parliament (MP) Donovan Williams is adamant that despite the surge in murders in his constituency, which triggered the declaration of a zone of special operations (ZOSO) in the Parade Gardens community on Sunday,...
Kingston Central Member of Parliament (MP) Donovan Williams is adamant that despite the surge in murders in his constituency, which triggered the declaration of a zone of special operations (ZOSO) in the Parade Gardens community on Sunday, residents can expect to see progress on major infrastructural developments in the first quarter of 2022.
This includes the completion of the Port Royal Street Coastal Revetment Project, which is aimed at boosting efforts to revitalise the downtown Kingston commercial district and make the capital city more attractive to investors.
In an interview with The Gleaner on Monday, Williams said the developments will include major road rehabilitation, renovation of the Fleet Street housing scheme, zinc fence removal, and other projects under the Government’s social housing programme.
Asserting that the constituency had been neglected over the years, the first-time Jamaica Labour Party-aligned MP said that things were about to turn around.
“Southside and Tel-Aviv have really been neglected over the years, but at least there is a glimmer of hope because things are happening. Central government and the municipality are serious about downtown restoration, and creating a peaceful modern capital city, one that we can attract a lot of tourists.
“It’s going to be an exciting and interesting time for Central Kingston. We have five roads right now that are going to be rehabilitated. We are trying to get the infrastructure up. We are going to renovate and rebuild, improve the infrastructure and the overall morale in the community. Little by little, we are trying to do works to improve the space, the infrastructure, improve the housing and the morale of the people,” said Williams.
Road rehabilitation projects will include all of Tower Street, parts of South Camp Road, and Port Royal Street.
Williams also indicated that other infrastructure development projects have been approved and are now in the procurement stage.
Already, the National Housing Trust (NHT) has granted approval for the rehabilitation of a housing scheme on Fleet Street, and residents continue to access grants to improve their homes.
Williams added, “We are going to renovate some of the buildings ... . For example, we have had approval to rehabilitate the entire Fleet Street Housing scheme. There is a housing scheme in Southside and the NHT has approved our request to have it renovated. We are in the procurement stage,” he disclosed. “We are going to erect proper fencing, restore the gates to the community, paint it, and refurbish it, water- proofing, asphalting, and creating green spaces.”
The renovation is expected to impact more than 500 residents.
With a ZOSO now in place, which also carries an infrastructure-development component, Williams believes that it will bolster the projects to be implemented under his portfolio as MP.
“We have a lot of work going on. We just need to get these guys to put away the conflict. We are trying to bring order, some semblance of peace and civility in the place and the ZOSO is welcomed. I think it will go a far way,” said the MP.
The surge in murders in the Central Kingston constituency has been linked to a gang feud between two main rival gangs in the area, claiming some 79 lives last year – a 55 per cent year-on-year increase in homicides and the second highest spike among the island’s 19 police divisions.
On Sunday, two magazines were the retrieved after a day of intensive operations by the security forces along Rum Lane in Paradise Gardens.
Parade Gardens now joins Denham Town in Kingston Western; Greenwich Town and August Town in St Andrew; and Norwood and Mount Salem in St James as communities now having ZOSOs in effect.
On Monday, Kingston Central Police Division chief Superintendent Beresford Williams told The Gleaner that the “clearing process”, which started on Sunday, would continue for a few more days.
He explained that during this period, the joint security teams will go through the community and carrying out detailed searches for guns, ammunition and wanted persons.
Christopher Serju also contributed to this story.