Holness opens $6 billion Morant Bay Urban Centre

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has declared that St Thomas is no longer the so-called forgotten parish following the opening of the $6 billion Morant Bay Urban Centre on Thursday.

It came nearly six years after ground was broken on the 25-acre property that was once occupied by the old Goodyear factory.

According to Holness, St Thomas, where the historic Morant Bay Rebellion took place in 1865, is on the frontier of new development in Jamaica.

"Today, we definitively close the chapter of decades of underdevelopment, this... infrastructural neglect that [has] long defined a narrative of St Thomas being the forgotten parish. Today, we emphatically declare that St Thomas is firmly on the path for the fulfilment of its true vision of a prosperous, growing, fair and equitable society," Holness said.

“It is very symbolic that we are going to be putting right here the most modern court facility in Jamaica and possibly in the Caribbean, right here in the Morant Bay Urban Centre,” he continued.

The project has been spearheaded by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation through the Factories Corporation of Jamaica and contractors China Harbour Engineering Company.

Symbolic keys were also presented to representatives from various government bodies and private sector entities that will occupy spaces, including a KFC restaurant, which will be the first for the parish.

Dr Holness said more than $32 billion was spent to improve access in the parish through road infrastructure and other projects.

He also said there are plans to expand the offerings at the centre and construct a multi-use sports facility in the vicinity of the centre.

The urban centre will host government agencies such as the HEART/NSTA Trust, the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency, Child Protection and Family Services Agency, National Housing Trust, National Water Commission, Jamaica Information Service and the Jamaica Postal Corporation.

Some private companies that will be located at the commercial unit of the centre are Mavis Bank Coffee Factory, Stationery World, Noraldu Limited, Ribbiz Lounge, Taurus Gardens, Devon House, Express Fitness, SSMC Express and Knutsford Express.

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