Learn About Jamaica’s New Parliament Building

The construction of a new building for parliament was set to start this year however, there have been several delays that held back the starting of the project. Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who spoke at the annual budgeting conference said that the project will no longer be held back, and will begin its construction within the 2022/23-time frame.

The official design of the structure was already chosen at the Government’s Houses of Parliament competition, which was held in the year 2019 where Evan Williams’s team “Design Collaborative” walked away with the winning outline for the building.

Prime Minister Holness stated that the drawings regarding the building have already been approved, and the project is now at the stage of public investment.

One of the urgent needs outlined by the leader of the Government is the space to accommodate the Parliamentary Committee system, plus the need to have several meetings at the same time at the building, the Prime Minister had stated that the current space is inadequate.

He also expressed in his talk that as soon as June they will begin to have meetings, concerning construction materials and that the “business of the nation cannot be stalled. The design created by Williams’s team is entitled ” Out of many one people”, and correlates to Jamaica’s national motto.

According to Holness, materials for the construction will be purchased before the end of this year. In an earlier report, it was estimated that the new Parliament will cost US50 million and will be contracted at the National Heroes Park/Circle in Kingston beside the Allman Town Community.