St. Ann officials ask non-ticket holders to avoid Reggae Sumfest zone amid traffic push

With traffic and crowd controls being stepped up for Reggae Sumfest today, people who have no need to be near the grounds are being asked to stay clear. The yearly music festival is staged at Plantation Cove in Priory, St. Ann, and a surge of vehicles is expected in the district.

Speaking before the show, St. Ann’s Bay Mayor Michael Belnavis said road management has long been among the hardest problems when big events come to the parish. Stakeholders have therefore put several steps in place to ease bottlenecks, including a park-and-ride arrangement. He is asking drivers to follow those steps for the full run of the festival.

Assistant Commissioner of Police McArthur Sutherland, who heads Police Area 2, said officers will be posted across the venue in a planned pattern, covering entrances, parking zones and other critical spots.