Montego Bay Waterfront Protection Project gets $405 million

The Government has allocated $405.64 million for the Montego Bay Waterfront Protection Project.

The objective of the project is to rehabilitate the Montego Bay groynes to reduce the loss of beachfront acreage to coastal erosion and protect valuable coastal resources along the Montego waterfront and the marine ecosystem in the area.

Details are contained in the 2023/24 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

There have been several physical achievements up to December 2022. These included the completion of tender documents for combined southern groynes and Harmony Beach Park, as well as the completion of the northern groynes.

Other achievements saw the completion of the drawings, bill of quantities and tender documents, and the tender evaluation.

For the 2023 - 24 period, anticipated physical targets are completion of the waterfront protection structure at the southern groyne and North Gully wall revetment directly adjacent to the southern area of Harmony Beach Park.

The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, and the Urban Development Corporation.

Originally slated for completion between April 2019 and March 2021, additional time was granted from April 2021 to March 2023. Further extension of the project has been set for April 2023 to March 2024.

JIS