Gov’t considering future of Vale Royal
Published:Tuesday | November 8, 2022 | 4:38 PM
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government is now considering proposals for the restoration and future use of Vale Royal as well as estimated costs for repairs, amid concerns about the deterioration of the property formerly used as the Prime Minister's official residence.
Holness told the House of Representatives today that a 2013 assessment of the building found significant structural damage, which has limited use of the property.
He said there was further deterioration of the property over the last three years.
While acknowledging the importance of the property, he said that it would not have been financially prudent to increase maintenance allocations given the government's priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Holness said that the government continues to see to the maintenance of the property while reviewing proposals for its future.
He said that among the proposals put forward is for Vale Royal to be transformed into a library of prime ministers.
It is also being proposed that the building could be turned into a protocol house to house a Minister or a government official or guests invited to Jamaica by the Government.
He said there is no intention to sell the property to private developers.
Holness was responding to questions posed by Member of Parliament for St Andrew South Eastern Julian Robinson, in whose constituency Vale Royal falls.
Robinson bemoaned the state of the property and called for the government to do more to maintain the grounds.
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