PAJ: We are spending billions in Falmouth
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE PORT Authority of Jamaica (PAJ ) says that, since its foray into Falmouth, Trelawny, in 2011, it has invested approximately J$2 billion on several projects in the Georgian town, which is home to the finest cruise ship pier in the Caribbean. Speaking with
The Gleaner following l ast Friday ’s groundbreak ing for the J$700-million Artisan Centre in Falmouth, Andrew Sewell, accounts manager at the PAJ, said since the agency constructed the Falmouth pier, it has been i nvesting heavily in the town.
“From our initial construction of the facility (the pier) to now, we have spent $2 billion ... that is the amount of money spent up to now, in this our seventh year,” said Sewell. “We are not done yet... there is much more to come.”
MORE TO COME
In echoing similar sentiments to Sewell, Professor Gordon Shirley, the president of the PAJ, said the organisation was pleased with what it has done in Falmouth and was l ooking forward to doing much more.
“We are proud of our involvement in this town and it is our intention to continue,” Shirley said.
“We have plans to give Falmouth its 18th- centur y Georgian façade. As soon as the $300-million market is opened, the old site will be transformed. We cannot give a costing because we are in the conception stage.”
He added: “However, you can rest assured that what is being conceived will not cost under $400 million.”
Mer vis Edghill, senior vicepresident of engineering and port development at the PAJ, said the upgrading work, which is now taking place to transform Tharpe Street, also falls under the PAJ’s development plans.
“That is a $165-million project to improve the drainage, which has been a sore point, build sidewalks, and improve the roadway to provide comfort for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic,” said Edgehill.
“The workers are working seven days per week and we hope to finish within six months.”
Continued Edgehill: “The other improvement projects to come include five cross walks, stage one of a threephase craft market, the pedestrianisation of Water Square and the ongoing refurbishing of Tharpe House. This just a basic idea of the scope of our involvement, which is going to be continued.”