Montego Bay awards contracts for Harbour Circle and St. James Street upgrades

Rehabilitation of the Harbour Circle roadway and the sidewalk along St. James Street in Montego Bay is set to proceed under the urban development arm of the MoBay Step-Up Programme, after contracts were executed on Thursday (July 9) at the St. James Municipal Corporation premises.

The agreements were concluded by the St. James Municipal Corporation with FSC Construction Limited. Roughly $23 million has been earmarked to restore the Harbour Circle stretch running from Howard Cooke Boulevard to the Pier One vicinity, while a further $28 million is designated for upgrading the sidewalks on St. James Street.

Councillor Richard Vernon, Mayor of Montego Bay and Chairman of the St. James Municipal Corporation, described the works as part of continuous investment in the city’s infrastructure.

“It is not only an infrastructural improvement [but] it’s also boosting the local economic development for the city of Montego Bay,” he said.

He also pointed to forthcoming upgrades on Lower Lawrence Lane and Long Lane that will mirror those already carried out on Lower Market Street, including pavers to lift the visual quality of the corridors. The refreshed setting, he indicated, should improve conditions for vendors and give the zone a more consistent look.

Councillor Vernon said the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) is financing the projects, which are due to start in August and run through the months ahead.

He added that citywide beautification is advancing through mural work. “As you may also observe, we are putting in the placemakers that some persons refer to as murals. We have completed the one that is affixed to the wall at Henderson Bookstore, and we have a few more…to be installed. So, this is the overall approach for the St. James Municipal Corporation in the beautification and development of Montego Bay,” he said.

Separately, Councillor Vernon disclosed intentions to enlarge the Montego Bay Infirmary so it can accommodate at least 50 additional residents. “I’m happy to say that we have made tremendous progress in working on a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health and Wellness. We are now awaiting the endorsement from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development to ensure that we can construct the additional section at the infirmary to house over 50 cases from the Cornwall Regional Hospital, and that means 50 more beds will be available,” he said.