Six police stations receive $235m in upgrade funding from EU
Six police stations across Jamaica are to receive a total of just over $235 million from the European Union’s Poverty Reduction Programme (PRP) to carry out work upgrading and expanding their facilities.
The stations are: Denham Town ($36.8 million); Franklyn Town ($42.4 million); Lionel Town ($36.8 million); Mount Salem ($42.5 million) Four Paths, Clarendon ($37.8 million); and Adelphi, St James ($38.4 million).
The European Union-funded Poverty Reduction Programme (PRP), which is implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) will be carrying this work over the next four months.
Speaking at the signing ceremony held at the Courtyard by Marriott in New Kingston earlier today, the Managing Director of JSIF, Omar Sweeney said: “More than 200 police personnel will benefit from these upgrades. Since 2000, the EU has been a strong partner of JSIF, in fact, it has been the single largest grant provider to us and we have done many great things. It was through the EU’s PRP that community-based contracting was introduced to Jamaica. JSIF is working across the island to put in place urban renewal and to provide the sort of government services that is needed in communities.” Head of Delegation of the European Union Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska said that the men and women stationed at the police stations that are planned to be rehabilitated or constructed during this period of the PRP, collectively serve some 50,000 residents. “I believe that we can all agree that the concept of a secure society is not limited to the work of law enforcement. It is in fact much broader and also includes the sense of ownership and belonging that citizens feel in their own communities. There is certainly a role to be played by each citizen particularly if sustained security is to be achieved.
“The partnership between the EU and Jamaica is now 44 years old; and the EU’s efforts, through the PRP to contribute towards Jamaica’s wider development efforts would have spanned 19 years when PRP ends later this year. Obviously, therefore, sustainable development—and in this particular circumstance—sustainable security, is very key for us in the EU, not just in Jamaica but globally.”
