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Gateway Sign to Blue and John Crow Mountains Unveiled in St. Thomas

By: , June 12, 2017

The Key Point:

The third and final gateway sign to the island’s first World Heritage Site, the Blue and John Crow Mountains has been mounted.
Gateway Sign to Blue and John Crow Mountains Unveiled in St. Thomas
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange (centre), emphasises a point to Member of Parliament for St. Thomas Eastern, Dr. Fenton Ferguson (right), following the unveiling of the gateway sign to the Blue and John Crow Mountains World Heritage Site in Port Morant, St. Thomas on June 8. At left is Chairman of the St. Thomas Municipal Corporation, Mayor Lenworth Rawle.

The Facts

  • Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, Hon. Olivia Grange, was joined by community stakeholders in unveiling the sign at the access route in Port Morant, St. Thomas on June 8.
  • Minister Grange said that in addition to marking the route to the Blue and John Crows Mountains, the signs will be used as marketing and promotional tools to lift the heritage profile and opportunities of the areas, where they are situated.

The Full Story

The third and final gateway sign to the island’s first World Heritage Site, the Blue and John Crow Mountains has been mounted.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, Hon. Olivia Grange, was joined by community stakeholders in unveiling the sign at the access route in Port Morant, St. Thomas on June 8.

The other two gateways signs are in Papine, St. Andrew and Port Antonio, Portland.

Minister Grange said that in addition to marking the route to the Blue and John Crows Mountains, the signs will be used as marketing and promotional tools to lift the heritage profile and opportunities of the areas, where they are situated.

She noted, for example, that St. Thomas is home to many national heritage sites and monuments such as the Morant bay court house and fort, Morant Point Lighthouse, Stony Gut, Stokes Hall Great House, Fort Lindsay, Fort William, and the Orange Park Great House, which could attract “purposeful cultural tourists.”

These visitors, she said, tend to stay longer and usually spend more whenever they visit these destinations.

She further pointed to opportunities for craft and souvenir creators and manufacturers, and in culinary and storytelling practices and pledged that the Ministry “will be doing whatever it can to provide guidance to residents as well as assist in the development of supporting infrastructure.”

The Blue and John Crows Mountains, which spans the parishes of Portland, St. Thomas and St. Andrew, was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in July 2015.

Persons are reminded that they could face a fine of up to $50,000 for committing environmental breaches or causing any damage in the area.

Last Updated: June 12, 2017

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