Gov't plans major upgrade for Reynolds Pier

Saturday, November 21, 2009 4:06 PM

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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

OCHO RIOS, St Ann - Government will be spending almost US$100 million to develop and bring to first class standard the old Reynolds Pier here in Ocho Rios, Mining and Enery Minister James Robertson announced last week.

The pier, which is badly in need of repair is still used to ship sugar and also by cruise ships when there are more than one cruise ships calling in Ocho Rios.

Robertson told a meeting with stakeholders, including representatives of the Port Authority, Urban Development Corporation, and the US-based cruise shipping company, Carnival Corporation, that the upgrading of the facility, when completed, is expected to accommodate more cruise and mining ships.

The meeting, held here last Wednesday, was essentially for stakeholders and the different entities, including tourism, mining, the government and its international partner, Carnival Corporation, to find a way to work together and examine plans to develop the facility.

Minister of Energy and Mining James Robertson (left) in discussion with senior vice-president for destination port development at Carnival Corporation in Miami, Giora Israel and member of Parliament for North East St Ann, Shahine Robinson, following a tour of the Reynolds Pier in Ocho Rios on Wednesday. (Photo: Alesia Edwards)

"The option is whether you hit down a building, the second option you extend a pier on the existing Reynolds pier, the third option is whether you develop a finger pier using the existing pier out at sea," Robertson said. Stakeholders, he said, were looking at those options, but noted that planning was in its early stage.

The three options, said the minister, would be carefully accessed and that engineers were expected to visit the facility yesterday in order to make an assessment on the best way forward.

"They are going to expect more ships, their economy is going to grow and the mining industry will also benefit.," Robertson said. Carnival Corporation and Jamaicans will benefit tremendously from the development, he added.

He said that once all was in place meetings would be held with residents regarding the development and how it was likely to affect their lives.

Member of Parliament for North East St Ann Shahine Robinson said she was delighted that talks to develop the pier had begun. She said the development was well needed and that she had been making representation for the expansion of the berthing facility in Ocho Rios.

But while Robinson was in support of the development she cautioned that "while we seek to bring more ships in here and to really bring the port up to standard we have to be mindful of how it impacts on the existing infrastructure such as the roads, we have to look at the widening of roads and facilities and attractions that are necessary when you bring so many ships into a harbour".

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