EDITORIAL - Where are McKenzie's ideas for Kingston?

We do not know whether the Planning Institute of Jamaica's proposal for the development of a commercial centre on nearly 10 acres of land in downtown Kingston, adjacent to Coronation Market, can attract the capital, and the broad support - public and private - that will be necessary for it to happen.

But the idea, by and large, accords with the kind of thinking that this newspaper believes is necessary if we are to rescue the old section of the city. Our own preference, though, as has been articulated in these columns, would be for a concentration on the refurbishing of the many old buildings and important landmarks that have been allowed to fall into ruin over the decades, which have added to downtown's hard and gritty image.

Perhaps, however, the two approaches are not mutually exclusive. Neither, though, will gain traction and go far in the absence of leadership that transcends narrow political concerns and causes the entire city to believe it has a stake in the renewal of downtown.

That leadership, this newspaper believes, should come primarily from the capital's local government, the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC), and, in particular, its chairman, Mr Desmond McKenzie, the mayor of Kingston.

Time to step up to the plate

Mr McKenzie, unfortunately, has not, up to now, shown himself capable of the task. That requires a vision for the city and ideas of how to resuscitate its economic health.

Or, posed another way, the renewal of downtown, although an important part of a process to reversing the crime, the social dysfunction and sense of hopelessness in that part of the city, cannot be seen as an end in itself. For downtown represents only one part of the urban blight and social dislocation that is rapidly overcoming Kingston and its suburban communities.

Yet, despite the bluster of his early months in office, Mr McKenzie's nearly decade-old tenure has been largely a discordant flutter.

For instance, Mr McKenzie and his council appear to have no programme, strategy, or tactic for encouraging investment and creating jobs in the Corporate Area, which accounts for probably a third of the Jamaican population. Any such initiative, assuming one exists, is an extremely well-kept secret.

There is no signal from the local government bosses that the city is open for business, or that it is encouraging the private sector in any process of job creation, except in the embrace of populist sentiments that may corral votes and lead to ramshackle results.

It may not be too late for Mr McKenzie to redeem his mayorship and bring some value to the city.

He might, for instance, begin to think of how the KSAC could use its regulatory authority to encourage enterprise and job creation. Additionally, Mr McKenzie could ask for help in overhauling the operation of the corporation to overcome incompetence, improve efficiency, and remove the perceived corruption associated with the organisation.

Mr McKenzie should also consider creating a genuine partnership with the private sector, including appointing an advisory council on investment and jobs for the capital.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.