Politicians highlight need for collaboration to achieve sustainable infrastructure

Infrastructure development is a key pathway to fostering equality and improving the quality of life in Jamaica, according to Robert Nesta Morgan, the minister with responsibility for works. Speaking at the 15th Caribbean Urban Forum in Kingston, Morgan acknowledged that the quality of life for many Jamaicans is directly tied to their geographic location, noting a significant divide between well-planned communities and those that developed organically, often in environmentally vulnerable areas with substandard infrastructure.

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We see a divide between communities that were formally planned and ordered and communities that grew without adequate planning, often in environmentally hazardous areas with infrastructure that is not up to modern standards

The forum, which convened officials, planners, and development experts from June 17 to 19, centered on strategies for building more resilient Caribbean cities. Discussions covered climate adaptation, sustainable growth, and enhancing urban resilience across the region. Morgan, representing Prime Minister Andrew Holness, along with Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby and Opposition Leader Mark Golding, addressed the critical issues facing the region's urban centers.

Morgan asserted that disasters often expose pre-existing vulnerabilities rather than solely causing them. He pointed to weak planning, unsafe land use, inadequate drainage, absent infrastructure, and inconsistent enforcement as recurring problems across the Caribbean. "The resilient city is not only the city that recovers after the disaster. It is the city whose systems function before the disaster," he stated, emphasizing the importance of proactive measures.

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They reveal them because in many cases the planning was weak, where land use was unsafe, where drainage was inadequate, where infrastructure was absent, where enforcement was inconsistent.

He further admitted that in Jamaica, the disparity in urban living conditions is stark. "The more affluent neighborhoods are subsidized by the inefficiency of planning and enforcement, where many of their employees are forced to live in substandard environments. If we are serious about resilient cities, this must change," Morgan stressed. He reiterated that robust infrastructure is crucial for translating government inclusion policies into practical access to essential services like work, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

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The resilient city is not only the city that recovers after the disaster. It is the city whose systems function before the disaster

Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby highlighted the specific challenges posed by the city's geography, including intense rainfall straining drainage systems and rising temperatures necessitating urgent climate adaptation measures. He outlined ongoing initiatives to improve environmental stewardship, promote green infrastructure, enhance watershed management, and increase urban tree cover. Opposition Leader Mark Golding underscored the necessity of regional collaboration to achieve sustainable infrastructure goals, noting that individual nations are often too small to find optimal solutions alone.

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The more affluent neighbourhoods are subsidised by the inefficiency of planning and enforcement, where many of their employees are forced to live in substandard environments. If we are serious about resilient cities, this must change