WESTERN BUREAU – Chairman of Sandals Gordon “Butch” Stewart has lauded the government on its vision to construct the North Coast Highway, which has already seen the completion of the Negril to Montego Bay leg. The Montego Bay to Ocho Rios leg is now under construction.

The Sandals boss, who was speaking at the Eighth Annual Sandals Community Scholarship Awards at Sandals Montego Bay on Wednesday, said the idea to come with such a grand initiative was no small thinking. He said that in addition to providing quicker travelling time, the highway has provided “the capturing of the country’s scenic beauty” to Jamaicans and visitors alike.

“The decision to build a road like that and Highway 2000. I think our prime minister ( P J Patterson) can take a bow because that is thinking big and it is going to serve Jamaica in a big way,” the hotel mogul told the awards ceremony.

“When you are driving along that new road (Negril to Montego Bay leg of North Coast Highway), first of all you have to say to yourself, that is the most beautiful land you can find anywhere. The countryside, the people on the road. it really just displays an attitude of home, friendliness and the kind of thing that tourism needs,” added Stewart.

The Negril to Montego Bay leg of the highway was completed in 2002 after a number of missed deadlines. However, since the completion of that leg, the travelling time between the two tourist resort towns has been cut drastically.

The completion of that leg of the highway project has drawn many accolades from the hotel sector and the wider public.

When completed, the North Coast Highway will run from Negril to Portland in eastern Jamaica.