Here’s an update from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), which is responsible for the upkeep of the historic Vale Royal property – the building and its substantial grounds.
I am hoping that some plans and proposals may finally be seriously considered. Puzzlingly (to me) the OPM states that the property was considered to have major problems some eleven years ago. Could nothing have been done at that time? Was it beyond repair, in 2013? Now we are told that “routine repair would not be sufficient” – so, is nothing to be done?
The term “protocol complex” sounds slightly alarming to me; it could become a shiny, ugly thing to impress foreigners. However, I do like the library/museum idea with Prime Ministerial memorabilia. This seems appropriate. I would like to see Vale Royal become a place for the Jamaican people to enjoy in some way or the other. After all, it belongs to the Government and (I repeat) the Government is the people.
Meanwhile, poor old Vale Royal has been boarded up. Trucks were seen carrying away some of the fallen architectural features. For the first time perhaps in years, there were actually people running around the building – picking up the pieces.
P.S. Back in November 2022, the Prime Minister floated various ideas in Parliament as to the use of the building, when pressed for answers to Member of Parliament Julian Robinson’s tabled questions. “Whatever we decide to do, the neighbourhood and the general community must be consulted,” added the Prime Minister. Take a read here.
Here is the Office of the Prime Minister’s press release, in full:
February 28, 2024
Government Assessing Proposals for Future Use of Vale Royal
The Vale Royal property is over 300 years old. It was renovated in the 1980s and designated as the official residence of the Prime Minister. In recent times, successive Prime Ministers have not used it for this purpose as the facilities are insufficient.
In 2013, the building was assessed as having significant structural problems that would limit its use. The state of repair of the building is such that routine repair work would not be sufficient, and it would require extensive rehabilitation.
Given its status as a heritage site, options for its repair or rehabilitation must be carefully considered. The Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) has proposed that the facility be repurposed to include a library and museum that would be a repository of documents and memorabilia of all Prime Ministers of Jamaica. Another proposal involves the development of Vale Royal as a protocol complex, which will host dignitaries that visit Jamaica from time to time, or as was done previously, to host functions.
A team from the JNHT recently conducted a site inspection and will be submitting a report for assessment. The Government is currently in the process of effecting temporary protective works on the building, and evaluating proposals for future use considering its heritage status.
Petchary's Blog 
But why did they allow it t I become this way? And what happened to all the important contents that were in it?
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