Development of Falmouth to be Discussed at Special Meeting August 19

Plans for the overall development of Falmouth will be discussed at a special meeting, dubbed ‘The Mayor’s Forum’, to be held at the offices of the Trelawny Parish Council on August 19, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Falmouth’s Mayor, Councillor Garth Wilkinson, said the forum is aimed at getting all stakeholders on board in plans for the development of the historic Water Square and surrounding streets in Falmouth.

“We have invited entities such as the Urban Development Corporation, the Port Authority of Jamaica, the National Works Agency and other state agencies, which we will be asking to adopt the streets in and around the town of Falmouth. So far, we have awarded Harbour Lane and Seaboard Streets and Falmouth Street. Tharpe and Market Streets are now out for tender. The project will involve major beautification and clean-up and an on-going programme for maintenance,” he said.

The Mayor said the Council wants to ensure that business operators and citizens of the town of Falmouth become aware as to how their movements and operations will be affected under the new dispensensation.

“We are going to prepare all the citizens across the town of Falmouth to understand that once the streets are upgraded, there will be some impact on their operation. We will also help them in devising plans and programmes for their continued involvement in the maintenance of these streets,” he told JIS News.

Mayor Wilkinson said a part of the project involves a major public education programme to educate the general public on the importance of having a clean environment.

“Falmouth has become a tourist town, but a number of the citizens who operate from the historic town have not yet bought into the idea of protecting the place from where they earn a livelihood. The persons who come into the town to ply their trade are more understanding of the situation and have been complying. I am hoping that through this Mayor’s Forum, we will get more people buying into the idea of protecting Falmouth’s beauty and their investment,” he said.