Jamaica to enact new building code to minimise damage from disasters

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Industry Minister Audley Shaw says the Government is in the final stages of enacting a new building code aimed at reducing the vulnerability of Jamaica’s built environment.

At the Caribbean Urban Forum 2018, which was held at the University of Technology (UTech) earlier this week, Shaw said enacting the new building code is imperative for the development of the nation.

“This will ensure public safety and welfare, minimise damage caused by natural and man-made hazards, as well as prevent squatter settlements and promote sustainable development,” Shaw said.

The Caribbean Urban Forum was a three-day conference designed to address specific policy issues within the Caribbean urban sector, in an effort to further advance land-use planning and urban management within the region.

The forum held under the theme: Forming the Informal ended on Friday.

According to Shaw, it addressed the challenges regarding development within the Caribbean region, and present solutions.

“The issue of informality, specifically in the context of social infrastructure development, continues to be a particularly challenging one for developing nations of the Caribbean. We continue to grapple with informal housing and inappropriate land use, as many of our citizens migrate to the urban spaces in search of economic and social opportunities.”

He commended UTech for conceptualizing such a forum aimed at addressing urban and land-management issues.

“The fact that we are in the sixth such staging is also commendable as UTech continues in its bid to provide the avenue for discussions among local and regional professionals, academics and policymakers on such a pivotal matter,” he said.