Fitz Jackson calls for consensus on housing developments nationally Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

Member of Parliament (MP) for South St Catherine, Fitz Jackson, is calling on the Government to ensure that there is consensus between contractors and residents in relation to housing developments nationally.

Jackson made the point while arguing that the parcel of land that is to be used for the Sandowns Palms Housing Development in Portmore, St Catherine should have been used as a green space and for other community development projects.

The plans for area, he claimed, formed part of the Greater Portmore Housing Development Programme.

Jackson, in addressing Friday’s ground-breaking ceremony for Sandowns Palms Housing Development, said as MP, he respected the plans under the programme, but said the situation has shifted under the present Administration.

“One of the outstanding features of the Greater Portmore Housing Development Programme was the consultative body set up between the Government, the contractor and the citizens so that their voice – the citizens who started to live here – already had a voice in how the development proceeds at this parcel of land,” he stated.

“As Member of Parliament, I have sought to respect those planning perspectives from the very outset, because as we know in many communities, we can never predict with certainty how things will evolve,” the People’s National Party (PNP) politician continued.

“We need to leave some space to accommodate those needs as they emerge. It did not happen here,” he suggested.

Persons residing around the Sandowns Palms area had voiced concerns with the pending development during a consultation meeting after the development had been decided on, according to Jackson.

To that end, he said Prime Minister Andrew Holness must ensure that greater consensus is part of the plans for housing developments in the future.

“Consensus is not agreeing with what is decided,” argued Jackson.

Continuing, he said: “Consensus requires consultation. Consensus requires negotiation. Consensus requires convincing people to come on board not because it is noble to do that, but at the end, the decisions that are arrived at through consensus, you want those who are going to be affected to own it.

“Same thing applies to national security,” the parliamentarian declared.

The Sandowns Palms Housing Development is the third residential project slated for St Catherine this year, and it is It is being spearheaded by the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ). It is to consist of 148 units on completion.

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