Government pledges $200 million to extend Project STAR community programme

The Ministry of National Security and Peace has committed $200 million over 24 months to sustain Project STAR, a social and economic programme working in five of Jamaica's most challenging communities. The initiative had been expected to conclude next year, but a renewed partnership with the Government will allow it to continue beyond its original five-year span.

Senator Keith Duncan, co-chair of Project STAR's oversight committee, said the funding will extend the programme's lifespan and strengthen its impact. "We're very happy about it, but it is building on what they have done in the past and it will allow us to scale in and to grow and to deepen our presence in communities," he said. "There is greater confidence now, so we can continue to build STAR."

Duncan noted that STAR was initially planned to run for five years. He said the programme will now continue longer because of strong performance, measured results, and lasting change in the communities it serves.

Project STAR was established to help transform some of the island's toughest areas. It began operating in Parade and Rose Gardens, where officials report a marked fall in major crimes, greater youth participation, and improved ties between residents and the police.

Director Saffrey Brown said those gains are essential if communities are to remain stable after the programme winds down. She said local areas now have robust governance structures and are leading their own initiatives, with Project STAR providing support rather than direction.

"We're finding that these communities, they have really strong governance structures in place now. They're very much leading on their initiatives. We're very much supporting what they're doing, but we're not driving it anymore. We're not in the front of it," Brown said. She also highlighted progress in entrepreneurship and economic development, and stressed that crime levels must stay low.