WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – Already boasting the internationally acclaimed Negril resort town, the parish of Westmoreland is set to expand its tourist attractions with the development of a number of heritage sites.

The plan which is under discussion by several stakeholder agencies, including the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and the Sugar Company of Jamaica Holdings (SCJH), was outlined by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Dr Wykeham McNeill, Wednesday on a tour of some of the historical sites.

McNeill said the tour was a follow-up to a series of meetings, noting, “We are working together and are making our plans and determining what we want done; we’re going to push together to get it done”.

A central component of the plan is the Fontabelle Great House at Frome. It is proposed to refurbish the house and open it as an attraction complemented by a number of historical points on the vast sugar plantation, including Workers Park, the site on which the 1938 Frome Estate workers rebellion played out.

The party also inspected the first bank vault which was installed by Barclays Bank DCO on the site where it had established its first bank on the island; an ancient water wheel integral to the grinding of sugarcane in years gone by, and other historical structures on the plantation.

A technical team from the TPDCo has already done an analysis of the great house, surrounding buildings and artefacts to determine how they could come together as a heritage tourism trail.

The Fontabelle landmarks are owned by the SCJH and Chairman, Donna Scott-Motley, has endorsed the proposals. Also backing the plan are the Tourism Product Development Company, the Westmoreland Parish Council, the local Parish Development Committee, the Custos and Members of Parliament.

The view was also expressed that other agencies, including the TEF, Jamaica Social Investment Fund, CHASE Fund and other social agencies could be integral to the proposed parish project.