Harbour Circle Roadway And St. James Street Sidewalk To Be Rehabilitated

The Harbour Circle roadway and St. James Street sidewalk in Montego Bay are slated for rehabilitation, under the urban development component of the MoBay Step-Up Programme, following a contract signing ceremony held on Thursday (July 9) at the St. James Municipal Corporation building.

The contracts were signed between the St. James Municipal Corporation and the FSC Construction Limited.

Under the initiative, approximately $23 million has been allocated to rehabilitate the Harbour Circle roadway, which extends from Howard Cooke Boulevard to the Pier One area.

An additional $28 million will be spent to further enhance the sidewalks along St. James Street.

Mayor of Montego Bay and Chairman of the St. James Municipal Corporation, Councillor Richard Vernon, said the works form part of ongoing efforts to improve 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 mentioned that Lower Lawrence Lane and Long Lane will undergo enhancements similar to those on Lower Market Street, featuring the installation of pavers along the streets to enhance the overall aesthetics of the area.

This revitalized space will also elevate the vending experience, creating a more cohesive and uniform appearance.

Councillor Vernon noted that the projects are being funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and are expected to commence in August and continue over the coming months.

The Mayor further indicated that beautification initiatives are being expanded across the city through the installation of murals.

“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.

Meanwhile, Councillor Vernon announced plans to expand the Montego Bay Infirmary to host at least 50 more persons.

“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.