Opposition spokesman on justice, Delroy Chuck, has proposed an urban renewal and development programme for the Corporate Area, which would include developments surrounding the use of Sabina Park as a venue for the cricket World Cup in 2007.

Chuck told the House of Representatives, during his contribution to budget debate last Wednesday, that a concerted, planned and creative programme of urban renewal for the Corporate Area would need several inputs. The 2007 World Cup, he said, provided a unique opportunity to start a programme of urban renewal in Central Kingston and South East St Andrew.

“It is an opportunity we must not miss, but unless the planning and implementation start now, it will soon be too late,” he warned.

Prime Minister P J Patterson last Thursday announced that both the Sabina Park and the Trelawny Green field site would be included in Jamaica’s bid to host some of the games, ending months of lobbying by proponents of the two sites.

Chuck, who had been batting for Sabina, suggested that properties in close proximity to the park be acquired for a major housing development stretching as far as Heroes’ Circle, to provide accommodation to visitors during the series, after being pre-sold to local buyers.

He also suggested the renewal and development of downtown Kingston and most of southern St Andrew which, he said, currently reflected depravity, poverty and consisted of derelict buildings.

The justice spokesman said the whole process would require a boost from a large capital-intensive investment.

His other proposals included:

. Improving and increasing the number of housing solutions in inner-city areas, looking to local investors first and giving them the benefit and option to provide the solutions.

. Facilitating the process to engage in housing developments. Chuck suggested that Government needed to open up the market fully to engage and facilitate developers, architects, engineers, planners and contractors to build housing developments and apartment complexes. He said that Government participation would ensure that the application and approval process would be faster and cheaper.

. Making ownership and investment in housing attractive.

. Encouraging capital investment to renew the inner cities. He suggested the use of pension funds in the private and public sector which, “have tens of billions of dollars patiently waiting and seeking good investments”.

He said that a boom in the industry would attract a fair amount of capital and create thousands of jobs.

. Renewing the inner cities.

“We need to bring capital and labour together in a gallant effort to renew our inner cities, provide needed jobs, more houses and entice investment opportunities,” the Parliamentarian said.

“My proposal entails government simply identifying areas for renewal, acquiring the land for resale by open tender to potential developers. Thus, I believe the government should identify large tracts of several contiguous properties, purchase or compulsorily acquire them and resell them to private developers. Current owners or occupiers should be offered first options to purchase the developed properties.”

He added: “Most of the land between Hanover Street and Elletson Road, between East Queen Street and the Harbour, should be declared an area for redevelopment on a massive scale, with high-rise hotels, apartment buildings and shopping centres. We could start with the relocation of the

Tower Street Correctional Centre and include the brickyard and surrounding areas, which should be offered to local and foreign investors on a long-term lease or purchase basis.”