Maurice Facey Lecture Series
Maurice Facey Lecture Series
About The Lecture Series
Maurice Facey, founder of the Pan Jamaica Group, was known for his unwavering passion for urban development, pioneering the development of high-rise commercial and residential buildings in Kingston. In order to honour his legacy, the Lecture Series brings together seasoned thinkers from around the world to discuss the importance of urban development.
Through their experience, the speakers provide insight into designing solutions for our developing urban environment as we look to make Jamaica a place of choice to live.
The inaugural staging of The Honourable Maurice Facey Lecture Series was held on October 10, 2019, at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Downtown Kingston.
Upcoming Lectures
The seventh annual Maurice Facey Lecture is scheduled for October 2027.
Further details will be announced closer to the event.
Previous Lectures
2026 – Dr. Ramón Méndez Galain
Breaking the Grid: Charting Jamaica’s Path to Renewable Energy [View full lecture]
Internationally recognized energy expert and former National Director of Energy for Uruguay, Dr. Ramón Méndez Galain, offers insights on Jamaica’s energy future and lessons from Uruguay’s renewable energy transformation.
2025 – Brent Toderian
Former Chief City Planner of Vancouver and international urban planner Brent Toderian offers insights on revitalising Kingston’s waterfront as a major public and economic asset.
2024 – Enrique Peñalosa
A City for People: Reimagining Jamaica’s Transportation System [View full lecture]
Enrique Peñalosa, former Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia and urban development expert, offers insights into the relationship between urban mobility, quality of life, equity, and the bold leadership required to turn visionary ideas into reality.
2023 – Eleanor Sharpe
The Value of a Vision: The Transformative Power of an Actionable Plan [View full lecture]
Eleanor’s discussion delved into the intricacies of revitalizing the historic city center of downtown Kingston.
She shared inspiring examples where having a shared vision and meticulously crafted plan led to astonishing transformations.
2022 – Prof. Greg Clark
The Business of Cities: Partnering for Urban Revitalisation [View full lecture]
The Maurice Facey Lecture returned for its second staging after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prof. Greg Clark shared his insights on:
- The future of cities and the leadership requirements they have.
- The civic leadership roles of major businesses and institutions in city strategy and governance.
- The role of private investment in urban restoration and regeneration.
- Platforms for place leadership where businesses can take a credible lead.
- The role of small businesses in urban revitalisation.
2019 – Dr. Pedro Ortiz
The Cost of Chaos: Envisioning a Resilient Metropolis [View full lecture]
The 2019 staging drew over 500 patrons who listened to one of the world’s leading urban planners and strategists focusing on metropolitan planning, Dr. Pedro Ortiz, as he shared some key insights:
- The creation of a Jamaica metropolis;
- The importance of mass transit to economic growth; and
- The need to have a long-term vision for any form of urban planning.
