Caribbean Estate, the ultra modern gated residential complex mostly populated by middle class Jamaicans at Bernard Lodge, St Catherine, is to spend $160 million to tighten security, after being rattled by recent break-ins.

Chairman of the Caribbean Estate Citizens Association (CECA), Ian Scarlett blamed the break-ins on a deteriorating perimeter fence and, in a circular this month, urged residents to help fund the new security initiatives.

“To address the vulnerabilities posed by the decaying perimeter fencing, our only option is to replace the current structure with a perimeter wall,” said Scarlett. “The estimates to build the wall are all in the $160 million range.”

A planned series of fund-raising events will begin with the annual barbeque on August 25, featuring entertainers such as Beenie Man and Ity of the Ity and Fancy Cat duo.

Still one of the safest and most aesthetically pleasing residential developments, Caribbean Estate – built by New Era Homes – pays tribute to the Caribbean by naming individual communities after regional territories, including Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, The Grenadines, Martinique, St Lucia, St Martin and Trinidad.

But thieves have apparently found their way past the 24-hour security, leading to the concern raised by the citizens’ association.

“The regularity (of the break-ins) requires proactive actions and intervention if we are to retain the sense of community that allows our children to play safely in our parks and the rest of us to live, walk, ride, drive and enjoy the community’s amenities in relative comfort, and with a sense of security that living in a gated community was intended to bring,” the circular said.

The value of Caribbean Estate properties is expected to get a further boost from the planned government development of the Bernard Lodge City, which will involve 17,000 housing solutions, commercial offices and light industrial facilities, with space for agricultural production.