Commerce is the activity by which human beings produce and exchange goods and services
for value that actualizes life goals and ambitions, and facilitates acquisition of assets and
necessities that determine quality of life. It follows therefore that available residential land
surrounding existing commercial centres would be first choices for new residential
developments. This will be limited by overcrowding, overutilization and exhaustion of the
infrastructure of commercial centres. Development of new commercial centres, with planned
infrastructure for multiple residential developments then becomes requisite. Development of
new commercial centres require the establishment of industries or a primary industry
(commerce) that will be the source of livelihood for vibrant communities. Such planning is
the responsibility of a central governing authority, or the government, and must be deliberate,
comprehensive, long-term, on-going and continuous. The government therefore has ultimate
authority, primary responsibility and obligation for the establishment of new residential
developments, and may provide incentives for and collaborate with private entities in their
creation. These developments must comply with land-zoning laws, established criteria/laws
governing population density, infrastructure (roads, sidewalks, lighting, water, sewage),
institutional (police, schools, churches, health) and recreational (green spaces, courts, pool)
facilities. See ZoComs – Transformational Policies – Recommended New Constitution of Jamaica
The absence of government or a central governing authority that coordinates, rationalizes and
optimally apportions limited available land, as in the case of Jamaica, results in chaos, the
consequences of squatting and garrisonization. The undertaking must begin with an accurate
inventory of the entire land mass, and include geotechnical and geospatial analyses and
mapping, aerial photographs, satellite imagery, LiDAR data, land surveys and site visits to
determine availability and suitability of lands for each domain of human activity –
agriculture, residential, commercial, recreational, forestation, mining – with defined
boundaries by geographical coordinates, zoning by purpose, and codification into law. Large
acreages of designated residential and commercial unused lands may then be targeted for
development as needed, utilizing financial or other incentives, or legal mandates where
necessary, when privately owned. The lack of foresight and long-term planning, apathy, and
the duplicitous nature of the Jamaican political directorate makes development of this
paradigm unlikely without new constitutional mandates demanded by civil society
organizations, social institutions and the Jamaican public. See General Articles – Recommended
New Constitution of Jamaica