In a collaborative effort under Government's Inner City Renewal Programme (ICRP), the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), working in conjunction with the JDF, has completed renovation works at the Lower Albergas Cottage at Newcastle, making it ready for the training of inner-city youth between the ages of 10-18 years.

Over J$4million was spent to rehabilitate the 160-year old cottage under a three-month project, implemented by the army through its 1st Engineering Regiment Unit. The project involved extensive repairs to walls, roofs, floors, sanitary facilities, and electrical and plumbing systems. It also included the demolition and reconstruction of a portion of the building, which was badly damaged during Hurricane Gilbert in 1988.

The renovated facility is expected to house approximately 35 trainees during each six-week session

The NET programme, which was created in 1998, is administered by the Kingston Restoration Company (KRC) and seeks to "catch" the at-risk youth and re-integrate them into society through the teaching of remedial academic and personal development subjects. This includes exposure to remedial English and Mathematics, behaviour modification and personal development, computer training, individual and group counselling, family life education, discipline training and conflict resolution skills. The programme also seeks to develop life skills and self-esteem in the youngsters and assists them in being re-admitted into the traditional school system, where possible.

A total of 78 students participated in the NET programme during 2001 and there are currently 82 enrolled this year.

Project co-ordinator for the ICRP at the UDC, Lucille Brodber, says the NET programme was identified for funding because it aptly facilitates the promotion of sustainable development in inner city communities as set out in the objectives of the renewal programme.

Under the ICRP, Government, through the collaborative effort of public and private sector agencies, is undertaking projects in 48 communities to improve the social and physical infrastructure and so create economic and employment opportunities, aimed at improving the quality of life of residents in these communities.

Launched in March 2001 by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, the programme has to date completed several upgrading projects in the Rae Town pilot community and is commencing work in five other communities including Swallowfield, Allman Town, Trench Town, Fletchers Land and KPH and its Environs. The programme is also set to launch a major project for the provision of sanitary conveniences in all 48 communities identified under the ICRP.

The ICRP is funded through the Venezuela (Caracas) Energy Agreement, foreign funding agencies working in collaboration with local counterparts, the Government of Jamaica, the private sector, NGO's and community groups.

The programme is co-ordinated by the UDC and other lead agencies include the KRC, KSAC, Ministry of National Security and the Social Development Commission.

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Inner City Renewal Program official launch

The Inner City Renewal Program was officially launched on March 28, 2001 by
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson at the Jamaica Conference Center. The programme
seeks to bring a co-ordinated approach to improving the quality of life of inner
city residents by upgrading the physical and social amenities and economic
status of these communities.

The Progammme will be collaboratively implemented by several agencies, with the
UDC having responsibility for overall co-ordination while also carrying out some of
the physical work.

The areas to be rehabilitated were selected as a result of research conducted by other agencies as well as consultants with the stakeholders.

The Rae Town community has been selected as the pilot project for the programme. Projects to be undertaken under this programme are general removal of debris and derelict buildings; gully rehabilitation and cleaning; rehabilitation of roads; checking of sewage system to ascertain why sewage is overflowing and what remedial works to be taken; refurbishing of Paradise Basic School; rehabilitation of McWhinney Community Centre; creation of playfield; replacement of zinc fences that run along Rae Street, Manley Boulevard and South Camp Road with concrete walls; development of the Fishing Village; Rehabilitation of fire hydrants; replacement of street lights; provision of sanitary conveniences into yards where no such facility exists

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Renewal projects underway in Rae Town Work on several refurbishing projects has been completed, while others are in progress as Government implements its Inner City Renewal Programme (ICRP) in the pilot community of Rae Town in Eastern Kingston. To date, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), has constructed/repaired boundary walls along Michael Manley Boulevard, Rae Street and South Camp Road and sanitary conveniences at the Rae Town Fishing Village, while work is in progress on other conveniences in the community. The Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) has completed the cleaning of gullies and drains and is in the process of repairing inverts and walls; the Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd. (JPSCo) have repaired defective streetlights and work is advanced on the reconstruction of the Paradise Basic School, a project being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF). The National Water Commission (NWC) is also working on the rehabilitation of the sewer system. An estimated J$130M worth of projects have been identified for implementation in Rae Town. In addition to those now in progress or completed, plans are also in place to create an economic centre/restaurant at the fishing village, aimed at enhancing the income-generating capacity of the area. The McWhinney Community Centre and Musgrave Basic School are slated for rehabilitation; the community is to be provided with a play field, with the associated changing and sanitary facilities. Besides the physical and economic improvement aspects of the programme, agencies such as the Social Development Commission (SDC) and the Kingston Restoration Company (KRC) are also spearheading the human resource and community development aspects of the programme. Included in this are the Tools for Development Programme, the Urban Renewal Trust Fund along with capacity building and community consultative workshops and meetings. Noted for its Sunday Night Oldies Dance Sessions, Rae Town dates back to the early 19th Century and was once counted among the affluent neighbourhoods of Kingston. Today, its strategic location at the entrance to the city has urged its renewal and hence it has been selected as the pilot project for the 48-community renewal programme. The ICRP aims to promote sustainable development by improving both the physical and social infrastructure in inner city communities. In addition to Rae Town, planning work has also started in Allman Town, one of the six priority communities listed for the start up of work in the first year of the 5-year programme. The ICRP is funded through the Venezuela (Caracas) Energy Agreement, foreign funding agencies working in collaboration with local counterparts, the Government of Jamaica, the private sector, NGO's and community groups.                                                                                                                      back to press release

NEWSCASTLE SITE FOR INNER CITY RENEWAL TRAINING - July 9 2002 Young people from Kingston's inner city areas are set to benefit from improved training opportunities under the Necessary Education Training (NET) Programme administered by Kingston Restoration Company (KRC). In a collaborative effort under Government's Inner City Renewal Programme (ICRP), the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), working in conjunction with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), is currently renovating the Lower Albergas and Upper Albergas Cottages at the army's Newcastle camp to provide residential facilities for the youth training programme. Budgeted to cost approximately J$4million, rehabilitation of the over 160-year old cottage is being implemented by the JDF through its 1st Engineering Regiment Unit. The project involves extensive repairs to walls, roofs, floors, sanitary facilities, and electrical and plumbing systems. It will also include the demolition and reconstruction of a portion of the building, which was badly damaged during Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. When completed, the renovated facility is expected to house approximately 35 trainees during each six-week session. The NET programme which was created in 1998, is aimed at assisting in the education of "at risk" out-of-school youth aged 10-18 years from inner-city communities across the Kingston Metropolitan Area. The programme seeks to "catch" these youth and re-integrate them into society through the teaching of remedial academic and personal development subjects. This includes exposure to remedial English and Mathematics, behaviour modification and personal development, computer training, individual and group counselling, family life education, discipline training and conflict resolution skills. The programme also seeks to develop life skills and self-esteem in the youngsters and assists them in being re-admitted into the traditional school system, where possible. A total of 78 students participated in the NET programme during 2001 and there are currently 82 enrolled this year. The 2000 Summary Report of Psychological-Educational Evaluations of Students of the KRC School Programme, prepared by the Mico College Child Assessment and Research In Education Centre (MICO C.A.R.E.), states that the NET Programme "is indeed catering to a population of students for whom the regular school system/programme will find it an extreme challenge to cope. The KRC project is therefore not only necessary, but in no mean way a brave venture. As the students of the KRC school programme represent that segment of the school population most difficult to teach, a diagnostic and prescriptive special education methodology must be adapted." Project co-ordinator for the ICRP at the UDC, Lucille Brodber, says the NET programme was identified for funding because it aptly facilitates the promotion of sustainable development in inner city communities as set out in the objectives of the renewal programme. Under the ICRP, Government, through the collaborative effort of public and private sector agencies, is undertaking projects in 48 communities to improve the social and physical infrastructure and so create economic and employment opportunities, aimed at improving the quality of life of residents in these communities. Launched in March 2001 by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, the programme has to date completed several upgrading projects in the Rae Town pilot community and is commencing work in five other communities including Swallowfield, Allman Town, Trench Town, Fletchers Land and KPH and its Environs. The programme is also set to launch a major project for the provision of sanitary conveniences in all 48 communities identified under the ICRP. The ICRP is funded through the Venezuela (Caracas) Energy Agreement, foreign funding agencies working in collaboration with local counterparts, the Government of Jamaica, the private sector, NGO's and community groups. The programme is co-ordinated by the UDC and other lead agencies include the KRC, KSAC, Ministry of National Security and the Social Development Commission.   Major Renrick Hall of the JDF's 1st Engineering Regiment and Louise McLeod of the Inner City Renewal Programme (ICRP) Unit at the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) discuss renovation works being undertaken at the Lower Albergas building in Newcastle to house the Necessary Employment Training (NET) Programme for inner city youth. NET is administered by the Kingston Restoration Company (KRC) and preparations for residential training, including the rehabilitation of the facility, are financed by the UDC, under the ICRP.                                                                                                                        back to press release

ICRP - Habitat Release - August 7 2002 General Manager of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) Mrs Marjorie Campbell has reiterated the need for the planned collaborative effort of both the public and private sectors as well as members of the community for the successful implementation of the Inner City Renewal Programme (ICRP) aimed at revitalising 48 communities in the Kingston Metropolitan Area. Speaking as a panelist at the Launch of the United Nations Global Campaigns for Security of Tenure and Good Urban Governance, held Tuesday, July 30 at the Jamaica Conference Center in Kingston., Mrs Campbell outlined initiatives under the ICRP to stimulate urban renewal in the designated areas. She said that the ICRP, which was co-ordinated by the UDC, seeks to use the participatory approach as outlined in the UN's Policy on Governance for Sustainable Human Development. This policy states : "Governance includes the state, but transcends it by taking in the private sector and civil society. All three are critical for sustaining human development." In this context, she said, all stakeholders must understand and accept their own roles and responsibilities in the current initiative. Launched by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson in March 2001, the Inner City Renewal Programme, has the stated objective of promoting sustainable development in Kingston's inner city communities. It aims to improve the physical and social infrastructure in these communities and to create economic and employment opportunities for residents. It addresses the full range of issues affecting inner city conditions including inadequate and dilapidated infrastructure, poor sanitation and housing, matters related to traffic flow, solid waste management, pollution, poverty and the enforcement of law and order. Based on extensive surveys conducted in the communities, the UDC, working in conjunction with some 45 public and private sector agencies and NGO's to implement the programme. These include the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Kingston Restoration Company (KRC), Social Development Commission (SDC), Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) and the Ministry of National Security. In addition to capacity building and social development programmes, several physical infrastructure projects have been undertaken in the pilot community of Rae Town, while community management systems are being implemented in other priority communities, including Swallowfield, Allman Town, Trench Town and Fletchers Land. In response to the urgent need for sanitary facilities in all 48 communities the sanitation programme is also set to commence soon. The ICRP is funded through the Venezuelan (Caracas) Energy Agreement, foreign funding agencies working in collaboration with local counterparts such as the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) the Government of Jamaica as well as contributions from the private sector, NGO's and the communities.                                                                                                                        back to press release