DESPITE a few roadblocks in their journey to save their internationally famous seven-mile beach, the Negril community is determined to go ahead with the project, which could cost up to $470 million.

The blow of rising costs for the initial damage assessment programme, plus the uncertainty of the government’s contribution, has only been softened by a US$10,000 donation by Trafalgar Development Bank and interest shown by three new environmental companies who are willing to tackle the job.

“At the moment it’s a whirlwind of offers,” said chairman of the Negril Chamber of Commerce’s environmental committee, Sylvie Grizzle.

According to Grizzle, Jan’de’nul, a company out of Belgium that is currently involved in the dredging of the Kingston Harbour, is among those who have expressed an interest. There is also Boskalis International from the Netherlands, as well as a local firm called Dive Tech.

All three companies are now expected to submit their proposals on how to reclaim and maintain Negril’s beach and the community will select the best option.

The chamber, the local chapter of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, the Negril Coral Reef Protection Society and the Negril Environment Protection Trust are all working together to get the project going.

Under the original plan that involved Cubans, the community was supposed to raise US$10,000, the housing ministry was to approach the government’s Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) for US$10,000 and provide the other US$10,000 themselves. The actual cost of the repair job, residents had hoped, would be left up to the government to work out, maybe through international financing.

Now, according to Grizzle, the three new firms have indicated that they would help secure the international funding needed, via the Government of Jamaica.

She said it is hoped that the selection process, to determine who will do the work, will be completed by the end of next month. But she stressed that the primary concern was getting the job done right, and not in a hurry.

“I would hope that by the end of June we would know something, that we would have some proper vision of what can be done. However, when you have no money and you have to beg you have to be patient. And anything to do with international financing you know how it is, it takes time,” Grizzle said.

She added: “But time is of no consequence as long as we know that what is going to be done is well done. It’s not something you can rush through. But at the same time, obviously we would like something to start but I don’t think we can put a timeframe on it, at least not at this stage.”

She noted that Negril has lost an average of about 10 feet of beach but the deterioration has halted and nature has replaced some of the sand lost.