Kingston Harbourwalk Design Contracts Signed as Irrigation and Forest Recovery Projects Advance

Good day. I'm Theodore Henry and this is your JIS news for Thursday, July 23, 2026. The transformation of Kingston's waterfront began with the signing of contracts for the second phase of consultations on the feasibility study and detailed design of the Harborwalk project. The agreement was formalized on Wednesday by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and a team of consultants, which included three companies: City Forester, Felix Landscape Architects and Planners, and Aqua and Terror. This phase of the project is being implemented at a cost of $3.4 million with funding from the government and the Caribbean Development Bank. Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holes says this development is an important step in the recovery of Kingston and the larger work of building a more resilient, inclusive and prosperous Jamaica. So, in undertaking this grand Kingston Waterfront project, we have no intention of being

small,

gradual, unambitious, cautious, or cheap. We as a nation must build, and for generations we have been afraid to build.

Our generation should implement infrastructure and build large-scale facilities. We should not be afraid to build infrastructure. UDC Board Chairman Norman Brown says that over the next few months, work to be carried out as part of the agreement includes shoreline characterization, hydrographic surveys, urban development studies and stakeholder analysis. Environmental and social impact assessments, climate risk and vulnerability assessments, engineering studies, and detailed design work required to complete this project will also be conducted. The team will also prepare estimates and technical documentation to guide future investments. The

joint venture of City Forester, Felix and Aqua Antara brings together internationally recognized expertise in landscape architecture, urban design, climatology, coastal engineering, architecture, environmental management , transportation planning, civil engineering and social development . UDC will oversee Kingston's 25- kilometer waterfront, which will stretch from downtown Kingston to Port Royal. The development will be carried out in three phases, with the first phase extending from the Maritime Police Station to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade building. The second stage will continue to Harbor View, and the third to Port Royal. Work on the

$80 million Heartlands Irrigation Project has already begun, and farmers in the St. Catherine community are expected to benefit in approximately 3 months. The good news is that the work has already begun. So we didn't just come to tell you what's going to happen. We have already purchased the pipes, the teams are already on site , and we expect the project to be completed and I will return to open the water in a maximum of 3 months. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green made the announcement during the official launch of the project on Tuesday. The new mini- pressure irrigation system is expected to immediately improve water access and climate resilience for 41 farmers in the Heartlands, with long-term plans to expand coverage to over 400 acres of farmland. Minister Green says this infrastructure is a direct response to the complex challenges of climate change and increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns. And now we understand that there was a time when you could calmly wait for rain, and that was enough to run an agricultural business. The reality now is that it is too risky and no business can operate under such conditions. To have a viable business, you need to have at least some predictability. A certain consistency is needed. And while we can't control things like rain, we must implement solutions like irrigation. The infrastructure is being built on former sugar lands by the National Irrigation Commission in partnership with the Sugar Company of Jamaica Holdings, SCJH Limited. The Office of Disaster and Emergency Preparedness (ODPM) says it is now compliant with the Data Protection Act. After Hurricane Melissa, there was an urgent need to work with a massive database of personal information to provide support to those affected by the storm. Since then, we have taken significant steps, including introducing a data protection officer to our staff . We have since gone through a consultation phase to develop all the necessary policies

and have taken all the necessary steps to register with the Information Commissioner's Office as a data processor. So, we have completed the necessary steps. Internal training has taken place and our Data Protection Officer has been on staff since February of this year. So we, if I may say so, meet the requirements , all that remains is to complete the registration process with the OIC.

ODPM Director General Commander Gale spoke about this in a special JIS interview with Executive Director Giovanni Dennis. The Forestry Department has officially launched its first urban forest run—a landmark event that marks a new chapter in the island's environmental efforts. Proceeds from this five-kilometer race will go towards restoring the Black River mangrove ecosystem in St. Elizabeth and reforesting the Silent Hill Forest Reserve. Both facilities suffered significant damage during Hurricane Melissa. Minister of Water Resources, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samura says this initiative goes beyond fundraising , serving as a national call to action for Jamaicans to participate in restoring the country's forests. Running in the east will not only fund activities in the west, it will draw attention to the devastation caused by Hurricane Madeleine. He draws attention to the fact that this destruction must be overcome, and we must return to the course not only of increasing the area of ​​forests, but also of improving their quality. Mr. Samura says that while recovery work has already begun in the affected parishes, this race should inspire the public to become more actively involved in protecting Jamaica's natural resources. I look forward to meeting all of your sponsors. I look forward to thousands of Jamaicans taking part in the race in Conson Springs and finishing at the Conson Springs Golf Club. Because, as I said, this awareness—yes, the understanding of the need to move and be healthy—is of course very important; but I hope this race will help to realize the scale of the problems we face and the steps we will take. 26 students from St. Catherine received pre- secondary school support in the form of scholarships totaling $390,000 from the Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Fund (PAEF). The scholarship recipients are students from St. John's, Old Harbor, Orangefield, Davis, Kittentown, and Macaulay elementary schools. The scholarships were recently presented by PAF founder Pauline Gregory Lewis at the

St. Catherine Parish Social Development Commission (SDC) office in Spanish Town . Ms. Gregory Lewis told GIS News that the recipients are students who need financial assistance and have scored at least 75% on the PEP exams in 2026. She encourages them to make the most of their high school education. Avoid negative influences and strive for excellence. I want to tell students: when moving on to high school, don't waste your time there . Don't associate with bad company. So, let's speak in simple language. Don't get into bad company. You are going to school. Bring pride. Be proud of who you are. Make your parents proud of you, and be proud of yourself. Do you understand what I mean? Study well. Complete your studies successfully. And do you understand what I mean? So that the country can also be proud of you as you move on . Pastor of Filippo Baptist Church and president of the World Baptist Alliance, Rev. Carl Johnson, praised the foundation's work, urging parents to continue to support their children as they transition to high school. I also want to encourage parents to continue to support them. Yes, they were specially selected, and the foundation will continue to support them. Finally, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security reminds the public that this year's Emancipation Day, which falls on Saturday, August 1, will be celebrated on that date. This reminder was made public in a recent press release. Independence Day will be celebrated on Thursday, August 6, while Friday, August 7, will be a regular working day. The ministry encourages Jamaicans to commemorate the holidays by reflecting on the enduring meaning of freedom and paying tribute to the resilience, achievements and contributions of those who helped shape the nation's history. That's all in the JIS news for today. Theodore Henry was with you . Thank you for watching.