Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange, has announced the construction of a $160 million transportation centre on Water Lane, downtown Kingston.

The minister was speaking at the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) Christmas tree-lighting ceremony recently at the St. William Grant Park. She said the complex will accommodate the buses and taxis which congest the areas around the park.

In the meantime, she said that a $90 million contract has been signed for the rehabilitation of the historic park, work on which will begin commence in mid-January.

According to the Miss Grange, the Government is committed to the redevelopment of downtown Kingston, adding, "We have issued an order preventing any government ministry, department or agency from moving out of downtown Kingston to uptown without Cabinet approval. They need to have very good reasons to get approval (to move)."

In his remarks at the ceremony, Mayor of Kingston and St. Andrew, Councillor Desmond McKenzie, said the municipality will be feeding 15,000 persons throughout the city as part of its annual Christmas programme.

In the meantime, the hundreds of residents from Kingston and St. Andrew who witnessed the tree-lighting ceremony enjoyed performances from Ity and Fancy Cat, and musical renditions by Oberlin, Papine and Vauxhall high schools; the Scotiabank choir; Jamaica Constabulary Force chorale, and Men of Valour.