New Kingston Initiative Moves from Planning to Action

Seiveright, Mayor Swaby Lead Coordinated Push to Address Homelessness, Public Safety and Business District Improvement

KINGSTON, August 17, 2026 — A coordinated public-private initiative to address homelessness, public safety and environmental concerns in the New Kingston Business District is moving from planning to action, following three stakeholder meetings held over July and August and the commencement of outreach and assessments among vulnerable persons in the area.

Led by Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC), Delano Seiveright, and Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby, the initiative brings together government agencies, health professionals, law enforcement, businesses and civic stakeholders to implement the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation’s (KSAMC) Plan of Action for the Renewal of the New Kingston Business District.

The stakeholder engagements included two meetings in July and a follow-up meeting in August, with the July 31 meeting held at the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce.

The meetings have focused on assessing progress, coordinating agency responsibilities and establishing practical steps for the implementation of the Plan of Action.

Initial outreach and assessments have already commenced in the Dumfries Road gully and the wider New Kingston area. Approximately 20 men and eight women have been identified as residing in the gully, with another eight persons identified as sleeping in and around New Kingston.

The intervention is being designed to ensure that efforts to improve the physical environment and public safety are accompanied by appropriate social support for vulnerable persons. The approach includes trust-building, individual needs assessments, mental-health and substance abuse evaluations, and family tracing where appropriate.

The Desmond McKenzie Transitional Facility has been identified as one accommodation option for persons who may be suitable for transitional support. Persons requiring acute psychiatric treatment would remain under the care of Bellevue Hospital until sufficiently stabilised for possible transition.

Minister Seiveright said the initiative is intended to provide a coordinated and humane response while improving conditions in one of Kingston’s major commercial and entertainment districts.

“This has to be thoughtful and humane. We are dealing with people, including some experiencing serious mental-health, substance-abuse and other social challenges. Improving New Kingston and treating vulnerable people with dignity are not competing objectives,” he said.

The coordinated response involves KSAMC’s Poor Relief Department, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, mental-health services, the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Bellevue Hospital, the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and the New Kingston Civic Association, alongside private-sector partners.

Mayor Swaby and the KSAMC are playing a central implementation role, particularly through the municipality’s Poor Relief, engineering and other services.

Day-to-day coordination is being driven by Mikisha Silvera, Destination Manager at TPDCo, and Dayton Wood, President of the New Kingston Civic Association, working closely with Mayor Swaby, KSAMC and other stakeholders.