Security complex still a go for No Man’s Land, says Chang
Published:Sunday | November 12, 2023 | 12:10 AMErica Virtue - Senior Gleaner Writer
Despite four years of inaction since it was announced, the Government still intends to construct the multibillion-dollar, multi-functional security complex in south St Andrew, according to National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang.
“This is a massive project, but it was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, which proved the biggest setback,” he told The Sunday Gleaner.
“But we are still going ahead with it. Most of the lands have been acquired by the Government, the design has been done and accepted, the concept has been accepted, but the pandemic dealt it a blow. This is a multibillion-dollar policing facility that includes other activities, but it has been impacted by the setback, and the economic shocks here, and worldwide.”
Slated to be constructed on 40 acres of land in an area known as No Man’s Land, located in south St Andrew in the Western Kingston Police Division, the minister said the projected start date for the venture is 2025-2026.
The current priorities, he pointed out, were the establishing of police divisional headquarters in Spanish Town and Westmoreland, as well as the construction and renovation of police stations across the island, which is budgeted to cost upwards of $5 billion.
RESIDENTS WANT HOUSES INSTEAD
In September 2019, when Chang made the announcement about redeveloping the area to construct the state-of-art police plaza, St Andrew Southern Member of Parliament (MP) Mark Golding said it took him by surprise. Last week, he told The Sunday Gleaner that since the announcement, only one meeting was held with residents of adjoining communities.
“When the minister made the announcement about the open lands which lie between Denham Town and Jones Town, an area that used to be called No Man’s Land, it took me completely by surprise. ... There was no discussion with me and I wasn’t even advised,” Golding said.
“At the time, I had complained about the fact that this announcement was made without any prior discussion with me as MP. I indicated as well that to put a security facility there, considering that the communities around there already have Metcalfe [Street] as a correctional centre, Horizon [Remand Centre], and Admiral, Denham and Trench Town police stations, that there are a lot of security assets already in that vicinity.”
He believes the lands would be better served to develop proper housing solutions, which the residents voiced at the meeting about the development.
“Better housing, employment and training opportunities are badly needed. So my advice to him (Chang) was to speak to the residents and see what they wanted. We had a community meeting at the old Ambassador Theatre, which he attended and put on a slideshow, which was very conceptual about what the security complex would look like,” Golding said.
“But the residents made it clear they wanted houses, as the housing stock in some of these communities are in very poor condition and they wanted the opportunity to acquire low income but modern housing. After that, we heard nothing more, except that notices were posted in Jones Town Post Office under the Land Acquisition Act, notifying owners that those lands were earmarked to be acquired by the commissioner of lands on behalf of the Government.”
Sharing that he believes the project has been stalled, Golding added, “That was two, three years ago, and we have not seen or heard anything since.”
A SHINING BEACON IN THE CITY
Chang shared that the multifaceted project was critical to the overall redevelopment of downtown Kingston, which would be beneficial to all, and would include housing solutions.
“It is something that is crucial for the redevelopment of downtown Kingston. It is critical to that rebirth. It will result in the entire redevelopment of the entire downtown area, and will be safe and provide security for the entire demographic there. That was the driving force and it’s still there. This project as well as the Parliament building form part of the whole redevelopment,” he emphasised.
“There will be a housing component in the whole redevelopment, which will be able to house some of the nurses and doctors for the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), as the development comes all the way to that block near KPH,” he explained.
At the time of the announcement during his presentation in the 2019-2020 Sectoral Debate, the national security minister said the complex would accommodate more than 2,500 police officers.
The multifaceted headquarters, he said, would house specialised units, such as Narcotics, the National Intelligence Bureau and the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch, among others. It would also have customer-friendly reception areas and green spaces to ensure a strong community interface with citizens.
Chang said the facility’s construction in the heart of downtown Kingston would complement the Government’s overall plan to revive and reposition the capital city as a leading business district that is safe and orderly.
He said No Man’s Land – an area to which no one can lay claim – would be transformed into a shining beacon in the city.
He gave the assurance that residents would not be dislocated, stating that the National Housing Trust would be called in to provide housing for all socio-economic groupings.