St Thomas no longer the forgotten parish - Holness upbeat about opening of latest South Coast Highway leg

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has suggested that the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project is the type of improvement that National Hero Paul Bogle fought for in his rebellion.

“No more will St Thomas be considered the forgotten parish or treated as the long lost cousin, as the focus of my administration is correcting a fundamental wrong that was committed against the people of St Thomas for centuries. This was what Paul Bogle fought for,” he said. Holness was speaking at the official opening of the Harbour View in St Andrew to Yallahs Bridge in St Thomas section of the highway in 10 Miles, Bull Bay, St Andrew yesterday.

“Our forefathers would be proud to see this fundamental steps in the realisation of their dreams for St Thomas,” he said. The 17-kilometre project converted the roadway into a four-lane highway. Holness said the entire highway not only connects Harbour View to Port Antonio, Portland but will enhance economic growth within St Thomas.

“As a result of this road, we have 4,000 hotel rooms projected to be built. You are going to see an explosion of housing development in St Thomas and the Bull Bay area. You are going to find this area being created as a new suburb of Kingston and St Andrew because of the proximity, ease and convenience of the highway,” Holness said.

The ceremony attracted hundreds of green-clad supporters who cheered on Holness and other political representatives. An overly excited resident of East Kingston who gave her name as Andrea, said that although she does not travel to St Thomas regularly, she is happy with the road’s improvement.

“It look good man. The place look like farrin. Mi glad mi live to see this because every now and again mi will visit mi cousin a country, and mi use to bite mi tongue every time mi travel on St Thomas road. It was like the road a fight yuh straight. Prosperity dis” she said before ringing her bell.

Member of Parliament for East Rural St Andrew Juliet Holness was thankful of the welcoming change. But she pleaded with the motorists that use the route to cut their speed.

“Please use the highway carefully because already some of us are starting to drive over in the sea. Take your time on the road and get to find out how the road shape now, she said.

The road opening ceremony was held just hours after the yards of some Bull Bay residents were flooded from heavy rainfall. Among those who were affected was Nine Miles resident Shaneel Grant.

“The highway is a good thing I must say, because it’s less time to go to St Thomas now, and I was really looking forward to this. However, I have been flooded out three times because of the road construction. Last night (Monday) my yard was full of water. The raising of the road turn my yard into a gully, so when the rain fall, the water don’t come across the road any more; it comes straight in my yard. In November, it went straight in my house and was very high. If my baby had fallen off the bed in his sleep, it could have drowned him,” she said.

Mrs Holness encouraged the affected persons to inform her and other political officials within her constituency.