PM announces new housing developments for western Kingston
Published:Sunday | May 29, 2022 | 8:00 PM
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says a new housing development dubbed 'Victoria Villa' with 35 units is to be built in Denham Town, Kingston.
The apartment complex will be constructed adjacent to St. Alban's Primary School. No date for the start of works was provided.
Holness has also said ground will be broken “in short order” for a similar development in Rasta City, another Kingston western community.
“The contracts have been tendered and, hopefully, that process can be completed quickly so that we can start the development for Rasta City,” Holness said today at a church service in honour of late former Prime Minister, Edward Seaga, at the City Mission Pentecostal Church in Denham Town.
Holness said Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and Kingston Western Member of Parliament, Desmond McKenzie, told him that funds have been identified to commence upgrading another community in the area, Board Villa.
The Prime Minister, who was delivering a tribute to Seaga, noted that the housing developments are in keeping with Seaga's vision for the constituency that he served as MP for, from 1962 until his retirement in 2005.
According to Holness, Seaga expressed regret at not being able to pilot the housing developments' completion, while emphasising that the “people who he has left behind… have a duty to complete [them].”
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said Seaga was concerned about the level of violence that impacted the constituency.
“Above everything else, what he wanted was a community of peace. He wanted the people of West Kingston to be able to live in peace; the struggle continues to bring peace to West Kingston. I am confident [and] optimistic that one day [this will happen],” Holness said.
Denham Town is currently the site of a Zone of Special Operations, an anti-crime measure that includes intervention from the state's social services.
Seaga, who died at age 89, on May 28, 2019, had the distinction of being the longest-serving MP in the history of Jamaica and the Caribbean region, during his tenure.
His tenure remains the longest locally but could be surpassed next year by MPs Mike Henry and Karl Samuda who have been serving in the House of Representatives since 1980.
Holness, the current leader of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, was one of Seaga's mentees.
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