Chang: Well-planned housing developments boost national security

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security and Peace, Dr Horace Chang, says properly planned housing developments boost national security by creating safer communities.

“Housing is as much national security as any other activity,” he said.

“When you build a well-planned community with proper roads, lighting, drainage, secure property titles, it not only gives individual wealth, it creates an environment where families can thrive and communities can take ownership of their safety.”

Speaking at Wednesday’s official opening of Kemtek Development and Construction Limited’s new headquarters on Constant Spring Road, St Andrew, Chang pointed out that communities developed without proper planning can become difficult to serve and police, leaving them vulnerable to criminal exploitation.

“Good developers, therefore, do more than construct buildings. They help us to prevent crime before it takes root… and create legitimate economic opportunities, particularly for young people,” he said.

The minister also underscored the importance of employment generated through construction, noting that jobs in the sector support families, strengthen communities and provide alternatives to criminal activities.

Dr Chang said national security also involves protecting communities from disasters, highlighting the need for infrastructure and buildings that can withstand severe weather events.

“The revised building code will require new construction to withstand Category Five hurricanes… . Our responsibility is not simply to rebuild or replace what was lost but to build stronger, safer, and more resilient communities,” he pointed out.

Chairman and Managing Director of Kemtek Development and Construction Limited, Dr Sylvester Tulloch, said the opening of the entity’s new headquarters represents an important milestone in its 37-year history.

He said it also demonstrates Kemtek’s continued commitment to investing and growing in Jamaica.

Dr Tulloch noted that the company was formally registered on June 15, 1989, with the aim of acquiring and developing properties and constructing quality homes for the Jamaican market.

“We wanted to establish a real estate development company that would build some of the best quality houses at the most affordable prices. That was our ambition then, and it remains our commitment today,” he said.

He noted that Kemtek has delivered thousands of housing solutions across the island and is currently involved in the Greater Bernard Lodge development, where it is undertaking five gated communities comprising approximately 2,500 solutions.

“These developments represent much more than construction. They represent thousands of families who have been given the opportunity to own homes, establish roots, and build their future,” he said.

Dr Tulloch also highlighted the importance of quality construction, noting that purchasing a home represents a major investment for many families.

He said the houses built by Kemtek stood up well to Hurricane Melissa, noting that across the entity’s more than 3,000 solutions “our houses constructed in St Ann and Trelawny did not lose a single roof”.

- JIS

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