THE Greater Spanish Town area and its environs in St Catherine are to benefit from a comprehensive and integrated redevelopment programme to be undertaken by the newly formed Spanish Town Redevelopment Company (SPARCOM).

Information Minister Senator Burchell Whiteman said Monday that the redevelopment would be done in accordance with the framework of the structured plans outlined in the Portmore to Clarendon Park, Highway 2000 Corridor Development Plan 2004 to 2025.

Speaking at the weekly post-cabinet briefing at Jamaica House, Whiteman listed among the communities to benefit: Tawes Pen, Jones Pen, Ellerslie Pen, Rivoli, Waterloo Lane and Close, Railway Lands, De La Vega City, March Pen Road, Job’s Lane, Shelter Rock, Windsor Road, March Pen Road, “Africa,” Thompson Pen, Greensdale, Willowdene, Central Village, Big Lane, Morgan’s Lane, St John’s Road, “Dallas,” Gordon Pen, Winter’s Pen and Old Road.

However, Whiteman said that the programme was in its early stages and would take some time to be completed.

“It is pretty much the major communities in the Spanish Town area and this is the start of a process. Even the start-up time is still to be determined,” he admitted, adding that within a year after it starts, certain targets are expected to be achieved.

“What the cabinet did was to approve the establishment of this entity. It is pretty well going to deal with all the communities in the larger Spanish Town area, so I don’t think there is any need to feel discriminated against. They will set their own timetable and work through community interaction,” the minister pointed out.

Whiteman tried to steer the proposed Spanish Town programme clear of the criticisms that have been levelled at the $1.4-billion Kingston redevelopment programme, under the Kingston City Centre Improvement Company (KCCIC), a similar strategy of government-private sector- local authority joint venture, which was announced by Prime Minister P J Patterson in August 2004, but is yet to get off the ground.

“There are some elements in the Spanish Town situation which will be a little different from what obtained in the Kingston situation. And, both in terms of the method of funding and in terms of the range of partners in the Spanish Town situation. I believe that we will be seeing a better approach and a more productive exercise. I think Sparcom wants to prove that some good things can happen in St Catherine,” Whiteman explained.

He said that the primary goal of the redevelopment programme was to “abate decline and continuing dereliction and improve the physical and economic conditions with the urban fence,” primarily through the development of a cultural heritage tourism product.