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© 2020, Urban Development Corporation

Official Opening of Caymanas Estate Country Club (Speaking Notes)

The urban development corporation is pleased to be here today to celebrate with you the opening of the Caymanas Country Club Estate and the breaking of ground for the further build out of the housing development.

SPEAKING NOTES – MR DESMOND MALCOLM, GENERAL MANAGER (URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION)

Madame Chairperson

Honourable Dr Morais Guy, Minister without Portfolio in Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing

His Excellency Mr Robert Ready, Canadian High Commissioner

Ms Denise Daley, Member of Parliament

Mr Leo Taddeo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Of New Era

Mr Benedetto Persichilli, President of New Era

Mr Desmond Young, Vice President of New Era

Reverend Ralph Parkes

Residents and Specially invited Guests

Members of the Media

Good afternoon

The urban development corporation is pleased to be here today to celebrate with you the opening of the Caymanas Country Club Estate and the breaking of ground for the further build out of the housing development.

The occasion is even more special to us, as this development is taking place in a UDC designated area, during a year that we are celebrating our 45th anniversary.  We received our mandate to make development happen on March 21, 1968 when the urban development corporation was created by an act of parliament.

Over the decades, the work of the UDC has varied in scope and reach. From primary infrastructure to sporting and cultural facilities, from schools to hospitals to residential solutions, the UDC has contributed significantly to the development of virtually every facet of the Jamaican society.

In executing this mandate, UDC has in its role of catalyst, in some instances undertaken developments and in others, facilitated development.  This Caymanas country club estate is an example of the latter where the corporation was instrumental in facilitating new era’s purchase of the land on which these homes are built. This forms a part of our strategic development plans for the Caymanas Estate area which started in 1983 with the signing of an agreement for the purchase of 12,316 acres and the formation of the Caymanas Estate Development Company limited incorporated.

The corporation’s plans for Caymanas estate have evolved into one with a dynamic mix of development opportunities where persons can live, work and be rejuvenated.

In 2009, the corporation developed broad conceptual uses for the strategic use of the Caymanas lands in consultation with major stakeholders in the area, this led to a designation order being completed. This allowed the UDC to have a platform on which to build through the pursuit of development opportunities which are already bearing fruit with the completion of these homes today.

Currently, the Caymanas designated area comprises 10,703 acres of which approximately forty six percent (46%) has been earmarked for various types of developments including mixed income group residential solutions, light industrial, commercial, institutional and recreational uses.

Being mindful of its role as stewards of the environment, the UDC has identified the remaining 54% as forest, woodland and wetlands reserves. The corporation has also been careful to preserve some of the major assets for which Caymanas is known, for example the Caymanas Golf and Country Club which is an integral part of the overall development and is pursuant of opportunities that will open new doors that will expand and establish a vibrant village within the estate.

For the avid golfers amongst us, I am sure if you have not yet done s0, many Saturdays will see you swinging away on the lush greens of the Caymanas Golf and Country Club located only a stone’s throw away and for which the UDC has responsibility. The facility also offers scenic facilities for lunch, picnics, parties, weddings, corporate events and many more creative uses.

Of course it would be remiss of me to not also indicate to you that not too far from here are the UDC managed Fort Clarence beach and Two Sisters Caves in Hellshire for your recreational needs.

Having said so, I must use this opportunity to formally welcome the new home owners to Caymanas. From our interaction with the members, we know that they are a vibrant group intent on ensuring that their community grows from strength to strength.

New era homes ltd is the first developer to seize the opportunity created by the UDC to establish its Caymanas Estate Country Club neighbourhood and thus the reason we are here this afternoon.

As we continue to work together to Make Development Happen, and bring to fruition the vision for Caymanas we congratulate new era – the forerunners in the development of Caymanas village. We are confident that other developments will follow and that overtime the UDC will realize the concept envisaged for the estate – a place to live, work and play.

Thank you.