Petrojam Building Named for Edward Seaga

The corporate office of Petrojam Limited, located on Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston, was on Thursday (February 22) officially named ‘The Edward Seaga Building’ in honour of the former Prime Minister.

Through the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), Mr. Seaga spearheaded the purchase of the Petrojam Refinery from ESSO West Indies in 1982.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, joined Mr. Seaga and Science, Energy and Technology Minister, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, in unveiling the new building sign.

Speaking at the naming ceremony, Mr. Holness said the gesture in Mr. Seaga’s honour “is our way of saying we love you, we cherish the work you have done and we have to find more ways to symbolise it”.

“Putting your name on a building is just one way of giving that symbol, but it is such an important thing to do because generations will come and the winds of time will blow away memories of the great things you have done, so we have to leave markers behind for (people) to see and appreciate the value (of your work),” Mr. Holness said.

The Prime Minister said the Government intends to identify another marker that will aptly exemplify the vision that Mr. Seaga had for Jamaica as a founding father of the nation.

“We will find the appropriate marker, the symbol of your contribution to Jamaica, and make it in your honour,” he pledged.

Minister Wheatley, who initiated the move, said the gesture is in honour of a “living legend to nation-building”.

Mr. Wheatley thanked Mr. Seaga for his foresight, decades ago when he was Prime Minister, in recognising the importance of developing the country’s energy security.

Petrojam’s Chairman, Dr. Perceval Bahado-Singh, who described Mr. Seaga as an “innovator extraordinaire”, said the naming of the building was an appropriate symbol to thank him for his outstanding contribution to the establishment and development of Petrojam’s operations.

“We consider this decision to name the building in his honour as a testament of his outstanding leadership. Your name is a symbol of your great legacy – that of dedication, service and commitment,” he said.

“The Petrojam family wishes to thank Mr. Seaga for his continued support and the naming of the corporate office is our way of showing true appreciation for all that you have done for this company,” Mr. Bahado-Singh added.

Mr. Seaga, in his response, said he was grateful and humbled at the gesture.

“In the history of Petrojam, all I did was to buy it, so I didn’t think that I was worthy of being honoured for the occasion. (However), I am glad that I did, and I am glad that it will now serve an even greater purpose,” he said.

Petrojam was mandated to be the least-cost supplier of quality petroleum products to the Jamaican market.