Government Considers Development of Underutilised JRC Land in Montego Bay

Government is considering developing underutilised land on Lower Bevin Avenue in Montego Bay, St James, to establish a transportation centre that will accommodate heavy traffic entering the City from Westmoreland and Hanover.

Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport (MSETT), Hon. Daryl Vaz, made the disclosure following a tour of the Montego Bay Transport Centre and land owned by the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC) in the City, on Thursday, (August 22).

Mr. Vaz told journalists that discussions are ongoing with the Transport Authority, the JRC, and the St. James Municipal Corporation to further explore the possibility.

“The Jamaica Railway Corporation holds approximately 15 of the primest acres of real estate in all of Montego Bay downtown. It is totally underutilised, it is not producing, and it is in need of urgent planning,” the Minister said.

“We need to develop a plan that takes into consideration what obtains now and what are the issues that are facing Montego Bay with the congestion and all that goes with it, because this is in the heart of Montego Bay,” he added.

The Minister also stressed that the project’s vision includes integrating local residents into the development process.

“The Government has to provide proper facilities for transportation and other amenities and, therefore, we can do something while taking into consideration those persons who are legally and lawfully here [on the land] to make sure that they are integrated into the plan, they are compensated for whatever structures they have… this is not about isolating anybody; this is about progress,” he said.

In supporting the initiative, Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, underscored the timeliness of a project of this magnitude.

“If you look from east to west in Montego Bay, you see that we are entering a period of rapid economic growth. What this means is that we are going to pull massive employment to this space, and with that we have to organise transportation in Montego Bay,” he said.

He further noted that the area in question is crucial for ensuring efficient movement in and out of the City.