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'Downtown Kingston needs more suitable transport centre'
Friday, October 28, 2011
TRANSPORT Minister Mike Henry has promised that downtown Kingston will get a major transport centre that is more suitable for the urban development planned for the city as the current one is not properly placed.
"I would never have put the transport centre where I inherited it, and I am seeking now to see if I can integrate it with when the railway comes in," Henry said.
The Downtown Kingston Transport Centre which was opened earlier this year. (Observer file photo)
The transport minister was addressing participants at a two-day economic forum organised by Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and Digicel to examine issues surrounding the restoration of downtown Kingston as well at the Jamaica Conference Centre.
"The transport centre I want will have to almost be redesigned in terms of the issues we face," added Henry. Some of these issues, he said, include the high cost to erect pedestrian bridges as well as the safety issues associated with persons getting to and from the railway station.
Commuters and operators of public passenger vehicles had always raised concerns about the location of the Transport Centre on Water Lane, but Henry maintained that the "real transport centre" is the redevelopment of the railway after all the Railway Corporation lands are identified. "We have soccer fields on land where there are no long leases so there is a myriad of issues we have to work our way through," he said.
In the meantime, the minister who also has responsibility for road and works, complained that too much money was being spent overseas to hire professionals to develop some of the plans for major projects going forward.
"A lot of money being spent prior to implementation is being spent overseas because we are not developing enough architects, planners, designers and so all of this will probably be spent in New York or London rather than here in Jamaica to arrive at the plan," Henry said.
However, one of Jamaica's leading architect Clifton Yap, who also made a presentation at the economic forum, dismissed these claims. According to Yap, there are more than enough capabilities in Jamaica, especially in the area of architecture.
"There are many instances where it is our money (taxpayers) that is being invested into these projects and the money is given to the joint venture partners and they hire people from overseas and local professionals don't benefit," Yap said.
Henry, who also provided an update on the Highway 2000, said he is ready to take to Cabinet plans for the linkage of Spanish Town to Ewarton and Mount Rosser. He said Mount Rosser has four kilometres of land which cannot be built on as it requires approximately US$70 million to correct geo-technical issues. "I am in the process of seeking to get investment capital to put that to the Cabinet and hopefully to seek implementation before the end of the year," he said.
He said Mount Rosser is built in the middle and there is no connectivity from Spanish Town, which is where the traffic flow is needed to make it economically sustainable.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1c4fAjVKc
Friday, October 28, 2011
TRANSPORT Minister Mike Henry has promised that downtown Kingston will get a major transport centre that is more suitable for the urban development planned for the city as the current one is not properly placed.
"I would never have put the transport centre where I inherited it, and I am seeking now to see if I can integrate it with when the railway comes in," Henry said.
The Downtown Kingston Transport Centre which was opened earlier this year. (Observer file photo)
The transport minister was addressing participants at a two-day economic forum organised by Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and Digicel to examine issues surrounding the restoration of downtown Kingston as well at the Jamaica Conference Centre.
"The transport centre I want will have to almost be redesigned in terms of the issues we face," added Henry. Some of these issues, he said, include the high cost to erect pedestrian bridges as well as the safety issues associated with persons getting to and from the railway station.
Commuters and operators of public passenger vehicles had always raised concerns about the location of the Transport Centre on Water Lane, but Henry maintained that the "real transport centre" is the redevelopment of the railway after all the Railway Corporation lands are identified. "We have soccer fields on land where there are no long leases so there is a myriad of issues we have to work our way through," he said.
In the meantime, the minister who also has responsibility for road and works, complained that too much money was being spent overseas to hire professionals to develop some of the plans for major projects going forward.
"A lot of money being spent prior to implementation is being spent overseas because we are not developing enough architects, planners, designers and so all of this will probably be spent in New York or London rather than here in Jamaica to arrive at the plan," Henry said.
However, one of Jamaica's leading architect Clifton Yap, who also made a presentation at the economic forum, dismissed these claims. According to Yap, there are more than enough capabilities in Jamaica, especially in the area of architecture.
"There are many instances where it is our money (taxpayers) that is being invested into these projects and the money is given to the joint venture partners and they hire people from overseas and local professionals don't benefit," Yap said.
Henry, who also provided an update on the Highway 2000, said he is ready to take to Cabinet plans for the linkage of Spanish Town to Ewarton and Mount Rosser. He said Mount Rosser has four kilometres of land which cannot be built on as it requires approximately US$70 million to correct geo-technical issues. "I am in the process of seeking to get investment capital to put that to the Cabinet and hopefully to seek implementation before the end of the year," he said.
He said Mount Rosser is built in the middle and there is no connectivity from Spanish Town, which is where the traffic flow is needed to make it economically sustainable.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1c4fAjVKc
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