Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for St. James Southern, Homer Davis, says constructing a material testing laboratory in Montego Bay will create and build wealth for Jamaica and Jamaicans.
The Laboratory will be constructed on lands designated for building a new University of the West Indies-Western Jamaica Campus on Barnett Estate in Montego Bay.
Speaking at a ceremony in Kingston on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, where a Cooperation Agreement for the construction of the facility was signed between the University of the West Indies and construction firm China Harbour Engineering Company Limited, Minister Davis said the Agreement represents a great day, not just for Jamaica’s development, but for the development of St. James and Montego Bay in particular and for Western Jamaica in general.
Minister Davis said “today must be viewed as the day when the process of building out the US$274.5-million Montego Bay Perimeter Road move into another gear following a spectacular ground-breaking ceremony last year. From where I sit as the State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, I know that technical works have been taking place, and the very important and far-reaching land acquisition exercise is underway.”
He added that there is high anticipation for actual work to commence on the project, which has received the blessing and endorsement of the citizens of St. James and the wider Western Jamaica.
TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT
“The citizens of Western Jamaica and St. James in particular, are pregnant with anticipation for major works to commence on this transformational project which will positively impact Montego Bay and the West. I can report that in consultations that I have had and will continue to have with the stakeholders in Western Jamaica – everyone is on board and will give their full support to this project, and we will be working to ensure that proper health and safety standards, as well as industrial harmony, are maintained at all levels”, Minister Davis said.
He pointed out that he will be working with the various stakeholders to ensure that the Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project and the Long Hill By-pass Road are of the high-quality and standards.
“As Minister of State with responsibility for the coordination of special projects in the western region, which includes the Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project, I will have my eyes firmly affixed on the ground to ensure that work on the Montego Bay Perimeter Road, which is a National Development Project is of the highest quality – therefore ensuring that value is received for the monies that will be expended.
Montego Bay remains the economic capital of Jamaica, and long-standing issues such as traffic congestion and flooding, which have been negatively impacting growth and development, will be eliminated when this project is completed…. Montego Bay and St. James remain committed to this project, and I will continue to give the necessary on-the-ground support to ensure that this becomes the most organized and best-implemented project in Jamaica”, he stated.
