“St. Thomas, I Did Not Forget You” – PM Holness

A new day has dawned for the parish of St. Thomas with the opening of the $6-billion Morant Bay Urban Centre on Thursday (May 15) by Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness.

The facility, which will serve as a centralised location for businesses and government services, is expected to spur economic development for the transformation of St. Thomas, once deemed the ‘forgotten parish’.

“St. Thomas, I did not forget you,” Dr. Holness told the hundreds from all walks of life, who gathered to witness the ribbon-cutting exercise.

“Today, we definitively close the chapter of decades of underdevelopment. Today, we emphatically declare that St. Thomas is firmly on the path for the fulfilment of its true vision,” he declared, noting that the moment comes 160 years since the Morant Bay rebellion of 1865.

The Prime Minister told the residents that their parish is now at the frontier of new developments in Jamaica, with the Morant Bay Urban Centre being the blueprint for similar developments in other parishes.

He acknowledged and thanked the residents for their patience throughout the journey, from the genesis of the project in 2017 to its ground-breaking in 2019 and the ribbon cutting today.

Situated on approximately 436,000 square feet of land where the old Goodyear Factory once stood, the Morant Bay Urban Centre is the first of its kind in the country to integrate public and private-sector services in a one-stop commercial hub.

One by one, some of the clients who will occupy the facility received their keys. They will have three months, rent-free, to design their units to their specifications.

During this period, the contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC), will also complete landscaping, road works and remedy any identified defects.

In attendance at Thursday’s massive ribbon-cutting ceremony were several members of the Cabinet, Members of Parliament, dignitaries, heads of agencies, business interests, residents and friends of the parish.

Even as the mid-afternoon showers fell at intervals, the symbolism of the event remained ever shining and a feeling of pride lingered through the air as each speaker emphasised the potential of the project to transform the eastern parish.

Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Thomas Eastern, Dr. Michelle Charles, who invited on stage former MP, Dr. Fenton Ferguson, declared the Urban Centre as “more than infrastructure; this is impact”.

MP for St. Thomas Western, James Robertson, said, “We have waited 160 years since Paul Bogle championed our cause. I say to the Prime Minister, what you and the Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ) have done here today is tremendous work. You have transformed the east and we say thank you.”

Chairman of the FCJ, Lyttleton Shirley, for his part, said that today “we are not merely cutting a ribbon”.

“We are carving a path for the future of the people of St. Thomas, for the nation of Jamaica and for generations to come,” he said.

He noted that the Morant Bay Urban Centre is “a testament to what we as a country can achieve when leadership, collaboration and determination take the forefront”.

Mr. Shirley hailed the development as a “true manifestation” of Prime Minister Holness’ vision to decentralise development and uplift every parish.

Greetings were also brought by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, in light of the St. Thomas Municipal Corporation occupying a main, stand-alone building at the facility.

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, also addressed the gathering as a modern Court facility, under his Ministry, is also one of the main highlights of the monumental Centre.

Other clients who will occupy space at the Morant Bay Urban Centre include Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC); the Passport Immunisation and Citizenship Agency (PICA); Juici Patties; the National Housing Trust (NHT); the Jamaica Information Service (JIS); the Department of Correctional Services; Devon House; Express Fitness; Ribbiz Ultra Lounge; Phidd’s Furniture and Appliances; Sterling Bakery and many others.

Phase two of the project will see the building of two additional blocks – a medical complex and more space to facilitate other government agencies.

The Morant Bay Urban Centre project stemmed from a partnership between the FCJ, CHEC and the National Commercial Bank.