THE coastal town of Lucea in Hanover, Jamaica’s smallest parish, has long been characterised as a dormant place where nothing ever happens.

But all that could change within the next few years if the words of Mayor Vasca Brown, chairman of the Hanover Parish Council, are anything to go by. He describes Lucea as a growing town, but points out that the parish capital, home to some 6,000 residents, is in urgent need of physical development.

“Over the years, there has been a lot of growth in Lucea in terms of the population, but I would give a failing grade in terms of new infrastructure to facilitate growth and development. We have to look into that, and we have a plan that we are currently working on to foster commercial development and help turn things around,” the mayor told the Sunday Observer in an interview last Wednesday, as residents and the Hanover Parish Development Committee fine-tuned preparations for their annual Hanover homecoming celebrations.

Lucea, located on the north-western tip of the island, is one of the Jamaican towns rich with cultural heritage, owing to the many historical landmarks that have stood the test of time. The old Lucea courthouse is an important attraction situated in the centre of the town. According to historical documents, the parish church dates back to the 1700s, and legend has it that a tunnel leads from the church to the nearby Fort Charlotte.

The parish is also home to Blenheim, the birthplace of late former Prime Minister Sir Alexander Bustamante, and several other sites and lands which were originally owned by European settlers decades ago. There are also several small waterfalls, coves along its coastline and large caves. In the centre of Lucea, stands a clock tower, which, though installed in 1817, is still fully functional.

“We want to hold on to the rich history that we have, but we also need to proceed with development assiduously. We are also looking into heritage tourism to preserve the artefacts and historical sites in and around the town. There are a lot of historical buildings in Lucea that could do with some upgrading work,” the mayor said.

“One of the major things that we are considering to help boost tourism is to turn our port area into a marina that can accommodate small vessels, because we have one of the largest natural harbours in the world here, and what is unique about it is that it is protected from the northern wind. We are expecting to reclaim about 40 acres of land to help with that project,” he said.

Brown then singled out Fort Charlotte as another site that the council is hoping to develop to attract more visitors to the parish, and specifically, the town of Lucea. “The development of Fort Charlotte is one of our first projects to tackle. We are hoping that it will entail the establishment of restaurants and craft shops at the site among other things,” Brown said.

A trip to Fort Charlotte by the Sunday Observer confirmed the many stories we heard about the natural beauty and breathtaking view of the Caribbean Sea that it provides, as the waves ripple and crash on the rocks below the fort. It sits at the end of a peninsula overlooking the bay with four nearby barracks at the entrance of Lucea Harbour.

But the site could do with some renovation. There are a few derelict shacks on the property, rusty sheets of zinc and rotting pieces of wood lying about. The war canons and support systems that form part of the main attraction at the site are also begining to rust. However, as you overlook the flaws, the gorgeous scenery and relaxing sea breeze transport you to another place. Fort Charlotte was built in 1761 for the defence of Lucea which, at that time, was in danger of attack by French buccaneers.

But as we drive around the town, up and down the narrow streets, there is not much to hold your attention – just persons going about their normal business. The fruit stalls lining the streets add a little colour to the scenery, while street-side vendors “hustle” and taxi drivers cause traffic congestion.

The few residents who spoke with us all had one major concern for the sea-side town – lack of employment opportunities for the youth due to the absence of infrastructural development.

“I love living in Hanover. It peaceful. The Lucea area especially. But sometimes life hard and you have to struggle fi survive. We need more supermarkets and businesses, because when the young people them go to look work them can’t get anything to do,” said Kadian Gordon, 21, a shopkeeper and mother of two.

Added Mellissa Jackson: “Ah nuff Chiney a run di supermarket them inna Lucea. Ah full time now a Black man open a supermarket so that more people can get steady work fi do.”

A Rastafarian who gave his name as “Nattie” agreed with the two women.

“Life hard more time, man. Ah bush mi live right yah now. Mi woulda love to see a whole heap of factory build up fi me and some a di young people dem get likkle work. Trus’ me,” he told the Sunday Observer.

Mayor Brown agrees with the residents, pointing out that they are hoping to correct the problem.

“Opportunities for youths in Lucea are not as much as we hope but we are looking to develop some training centres for the youth which will encompass the development that is coming to the town. We want to tap into all possibilities and use up all opportunities we are presented with,” Brown said.

He also agrees with the residents about the peaceful nature of the town and the neighbourliness of residents.

“Hanover is a very peaceful place. A lot of other parishes can take a page out of our book. The people of Hanover are the greatest asset to the parish. They have a different kind of holistic behaviour. They are loving, warm and are their brother’s keepers,” Brown told the Sunday Observer. “Crime is minimal, but from time to time we do have problems, but not much. With the upcoming development, we will have to boost our strategies, in collaboration with the police, to reduce crime even further.”

The mayor also mentioned that plans are afoot to help ease the traffic congestion in the town centre.

“We want to develop a roadway that will bypass the town centre because we do have a traffic problem in the town and we need the flow of traffic to be smoother,” he said.

Meanwhile, he was unable to provide a timeline and figures regarding how much the execution of their development plan will cost, but Brown told the Sunday Observer that they would be tapping into all financial avenues available for funding.

“We are looking to have private capital invested for this work we are hoping to undertake. We are not just looking to the government. We want to forge relationships, hopefully with some private sources. We also hope to enhance our plans at a later date,” he added.