Jamaica: Building overhaul crucial to earthquake preparedness

As Jamaica moves to boost its earthquake readiness, a through examination of the island's existing buildings - some 70 per cent of which are informal structures - will be critical, according to Franklin McDonald, former head of the Institute for Sustainable Development at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

"I think it is vital that the new building code is passed. The problem with the building code is that it only deals with new buildings. A building code does not take into account what you do to improve old buildings," he told The Gleaner.