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EDITORIALS
WHITHER UP PARK CAMP
Monday, July 13, 2009
Governments have a responsibility not just to respond to immediate needs but to always bear in mind the wider, medium- and long-term implications of any action.
We expect that Jamaica's prime minister, Mr Bruce Golding, and his Cabinet will be checking all sides of the coin when they get around to contemplating what the Sunday Observer says is a proposal now before Cabinet to sell Up Park Camp.
According to yesterday's lead story, the 90-hectare property that houses the headquarters of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) - described as prime real estate - is being looked at as a site for a major housing development. The army would be moved to an area west of the capital, in southern St Catherine/southern Clarendon.
An unnamed government official is reported in the article as suggesting the government's desperate need for revenue as a prime motivation.
The same source suggests that a housing development at Up Park Camp would "adequately address the chronic housing shortage in the Kingston region".
The reality of those revenue and housing inadequacies notwithstanding, we would urge the government to give serious consideration to the thoughts of former National Security Minister, Mr KD Knight.
In particular we are in sync with Mr Knight's assertion that "Kingston needs some open spaces. You can't put concrete everywhere".
One of the unfortunate truths about modern Jamaica is that urban planners and developers have placed inadequate emphasis on preserving open spaces in our cities and towns. Hence the transformation, decades ago, of Knutsford Park into the New Kingston business centre. In that respect, we should be thankful that the PJ Patterson administration had the good sense to create Emancipation Park. And as Mr Knight mentioned, there have been encroachments on the only notable open area in downtown Kingston, formerly Race Course now the National Heroes Park - including the almost unnoticed development of a car park on the eastern side.
If we are looking ahead to the welfare of generations to come, a concrete jungle to replace the relatively green area that is Up Park Camp does not seem the way to go.
We are also aware of dire infrastructural needs facing both the Military and the Constabulary. In May, new National Security Minister Dwight Nelson voiced his distress at the depressing state of accomodation for Military personnel at Up Park Camp. He struck a similar note when he visited the Police Mobile Reserve, next door to the army, also at Up Park Camp, last week.
Mr Golding and his Cabinet will have to decide whether it doesn't make more sense to upgrade existing facilities for the army and police rather than build anew elsewhere.
There is one last aspect that we think very important. We speak of the obvious need to preserve agricultural lands as part of a long-term food security regime - the need for which has been underlined by the current global economic crisis. It seems to us that any project to relocate the army to southern St Catherine or southern Clarendon could easily infringe on some of those arable lands.
Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton should keep a very close eye.
WHITHER UP PARK CAMP
Monday, July 13, 2009
Governments have a responsibility not just to respond to immediate needs but to always bear in mind the wider, medium- and long-term implications of any action.
We expect that Jamaica's prime minister, Mr Bruce Golding, and his Cabinet will be checking all sides of the coin when they get around to contemplating what the Sunday Observer says is a proposal now before Cabinet to sell Up Park Camp.
According to yesterday's lead story, the 90-hectare property that houses the headquarters of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) - described as prime real estate - is being looked at as a site for a major housing development. The army would be moved to an area west of the capital, in southern St Catherine/southern Clarendon.
An unnamed government official is reported in the article as suggesting the government's desperate need for revenue as a prime motivation.
The same source suggests that a housing development at Up Park Camp would "adequately address the chronic housing shortage in the Kingston region".
The reality of those revenue and housing inadequacies notwithstanding, we would urge the government to give serious consideration to the thoughts of former National Security Minister, Mr KD Knight.
In particular we are in sync with Mr Knight's assertion that "Kingston needs some open spaces. You can't put concrete everywhere".
One of the unfortunate truths about modern Jamaica is that urban planners and developers have placed inadequate emphasis on preserving open spaces in our cities and towns. Hence the transformation, decades ago, of Knutsford Park into the New Kingston business centre. In that respect, we should be thankful that the PJ Patterson administration had the good sense to create Emancipation Park. And as Mr Knight mentioned, there have been encroachments on the only notable open area in downtown Kingston, formerly Race Course now the National Heroes Park - including the almost unnoticed development of a car park on the eastern side.
If we are looking ahead to the welfare of generations to come, a concrete jungle to replace the relatively green area that is Up Park Camp does not seem the way to go.
We are also aware of dire infrastructural needs facing both the Military and the Constabulary. In May, new National Security Minister Dwight Nelson voiced his distress at the depressing state of accomodation for Military personnel at Up Park Camp. He struck a similar note when he visited the Police Mobile Reserve, next door to the army, also at Up Park Camp, last week.
Mr Golding and his Cabinet will have to decide whether it doesn't make more sense to upgrade existing facilities for the army and police rather than build anew elsewhere.
There is one last aspect that we think very important. We speak of the obvious need to preserve agricultural lands as part of a long-term food security regime - the need for which has been underlined by the current global economic crisis. It seems to us that any project to relocate the army to southern St Catherine or southern Clarendon could easily infringe on some of those arable lands.
Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton should keep a very close eye.