'We will not allow tourism industry to grow without including you', Holness tells Mobay residents

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has sought to assure residents in Montego Bay, St James that they will not be left behind as his administration moves to expand the tourism industry.

The assurance came yesterday as Holness participated in the symbolic ground-breaking for the $1.2 billion Closed Harbour Beach Park in Jamaica’s second city.

It will include extensive work to create a beach futsal and multipurpose court, basketball and netball courts, kids play area, food kiosks and outdoor dining area

“As the government undertakes this project, I want to assure the citizens of St James that we will not allow the tourism industry to grow without including you,” Holness said.

He indicated that Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett is the biggest advocate for pensions, training and development and ensuring that the profits from the sector benefit the people “and this project will be one such example."

According to the Office of the Prime Minister, the project is being funded primarily by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and executed by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and “will be the largest transformative development for the parish and largest of its kind in the Caribbean.”

The Prime Minister says Montego Bay has a special place in Jamaica and represents the essence of what it is to be Jamaican with its enterprise, industry and creativity.

“This city can become the pearl of the Caribbean and we are making the necessary investments and through development, rule of law and public order, this can become a reality," he said.

Bartlett, in underscoring the significance of the proposed beach park, said the project “is at the core of what Jamaica’s tourism is about and that is to enhance and develop our products which will be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.”

“It forms part of our overall vision to reimage tourism in Jamaica. Our first obligation is to our people to ensure they have access to the best beaches and experiences such as these," Bartlett said.

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