Downtown Kingston revival gathers pace under ‘Our City, Kingston’

The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC), in partnership with the Kingston Restoration Company (KRC), has rolled out its latest initiative aimed at engaging local businesses and state agencies in the maintenance and revitalisation of downtown Kingston.

The initiative, called ‘Our City, Kingston’, targets eight strategic blocks in the heart of the capital as it pushes for it to be cleaner, safer, and more business-friendly.

City wardens in branded uniforms now patrol and clean the streets daily, armed with heavy-duty equipment to clear dumping sites and accumulated grime. Progress is tracked digitally and coordinated with the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), allowing the team to respond quickly to problem areas and gain KSAMC support when needed.

The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation is also coordinating infrastructure audits and guiding planned public space upgrades, creating the framework for sustained maintenance and repairs.

“This is about more than sanitation,” said Michael McMorris, immediate past president of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce. “It’s about improving order, restoring pride, and adding to the momentum that says that downtown Kingston is on the rise, secured, and ready for investment.”

According to McMorris, the effort is also a statement on what public-private partnerships can achieve. “When civic leadership and the private sector align, you don’t just get cleaner streets; you build the foundation for economic revival,” he said. “We’re proving that revitalisation is possible, block by block.”

The project zone, from Orange Street to East Street and Ocean Boulevard to Tower Street, includes key commercial and cultural corridors. A parallel business engagement push is under way to ensure store owners maintain the frontage of their premises, with early surveys showing strong buy-in.

Launched as an extension of the Downtown Kingston Revitalisation Initiative, the programme is a joint effort of the JCC and KRC, with major corporate backing from Pan Jamaica Group, Scotiabank, GraceKennedy, and Victoria Mutual Group.

With visible branding and a consistent presence, the city wardens have become a familiar sight, drawing positive feedback from residents and business operators. The organisers say the model could be expanded to other parts of the city if results meet expectations.