Portland set to get new transport centre

A new transportation centre to be built in Port Antonio, is expected to ease traffic congestion and provide adequate parking for public passenger vehicles plying the easterly and westerly route in Portland.

Last Thursday, a team from the Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ), the Portland Municipal Corporation, and Members of Parliament (MP) Daryl and Annmarie Vaz visited the proposed construction site at Boundbrook in the parish, which is owned by the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC).

During the site visit, discussions were held on the scope of work, start date for the project, the agency that will be in charge of the day-to-day operation, and the proposed facilities in the transport centre, and the added attraction of the varied businesses that will be housed at that facility.

FIFTY YEAR LEASE

Board Chairman of the FCJ Lyttleton Shirley said that a 50-year lease is being sought for the JRC land that has been sitting there, which will pave the way for the integration of small manufacturing and the construction of a transport centre, a museum, a theatre, and a music (recording) studio.

“Those who can’t afford the nice uptown, very expensive studio will be able to afford this one to come and practice their art and show the talent of Portland, “said Shirley.

“We are going to use the railway track as a museum attraction, a heritage attraction for tourist and or own local people to enjoy. The transport centre will be a one of a kind. It’s going to be the cutting edge to show the respect we have for our people and for those in the transport sector. It is going to be something that everyone in Portland will be proud of,” Shirley said.

The Portland Municipal Corporation will manage the transport centre, the existing transport centre at Foreshore Road will be used as a parking lot and will also be managed by the municipal corporation.

East Portland MP Annmarie Vaz said that new estimates and layout will be done and that hopefully the actual construction will begin next year, so as to ultimately ease the traffic congestion plaguing the town of Port Antonio, which clearly has outgrown its space.