WELL-KNOWN Montego Bay real estate tycoon and developer Slidie Joe Whitter may not make it to the Private Sector of Jamaica Hall of Fame but in the annals of the trials and triumphs of the black man, he will most certainly go down in history as a man of great substance, patriotism, vision, courage and determination.

Last Saturday, the latest jewel in Montego Bay’s crown, The Whitter Village at Ironshore was declared open in fine style by Prime Minister Bruce Golding who paid tribute to Whitter’s stick-to-itiveness and tenacity in seeing to the completion of this US$35 million-dollar project. Of course, Mr Whitter, who interestingly celebrated his birthday on that same day, owes much to his beloved and devoted wife Angella, a woman of much strength and character. She has not only stood by him in sickness and in health but has become an astute and competent business woman in her own right, tirelessly seeking to sustain and enhance the Whitter legacy.

It is no secret that the Whitter Group, which also comprises the Whitter Construction Company, is one of the largest corporate landowners in Greater Montego Bay. Joe Whitter, who originally hails from St Catherine, decided to make Montego Bay his home and final stomping ground after he returned from the United Kingdom where he had amassed a large fortune, having owned and operated successful businesses in the so-called motherland for some 30 years.

Much thought was put into conceptualising The Whitter Village which is ideally situated along what is known as the Elegant Corridor which boasts a number of trophy properties, including the Half Moon, Sandals Royal Caribbean, the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, the Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall, the Rose Hall Resort and Spa and the Iberostar.

Located on 200,000 square feet betwixt the Blue Diamond Shopping Centre and the Ironshore Golf Club, this exquisite shopping centre is more than just another amassing of concrete structures. It is a spacious, well-designed facility that caters to some 92 shops which includes a 29,000 square-foot supermarket among other business ventures. The developers claim that it is the largest shopping centre in the island with special features such as a bandstand, a gorgeous fountain and a clock, thus creating a town-square effect. Thanks to the architectural genius of Clifton Yapp and his team, The Whitter Village is indeed “the definition of shopping” and is most certainly an attraction and a most impressive addition to the Montego Bay socio-economic landscape.

What is also worth mentioning is the fact that the Whitters undertook this project amid all the doom and gloom pervading the Jamaican economy. Indeed, notwithstanding the global financial meltdown which impacted negatively on the country’s ability to attract investments, both local and foreign, this indomitable couple pursued their dream while being buffeted by the high interest rate regime and a banking system that often created a treacherous minefield on the way to getting one’s loan approved, especially for such an ambitious project.

Then there was the thorny business of getting certain approvals from the St James Parish Council which ultimately saw the personal intervention of Prime Minister Golding after Mayor Charles Sinclair, acting in his capacity as chairman of the St James Parish Council, had sought to enforce certain planning regulations. It was good to see the mayor at the function extolling the virtues of this magnificent structure, and it must be stressed that Councillor Sinclair had an obligation to carry out the tenets of that municipal body. Suffice it to say, interventions of the nature that the prime minister took is quite in order as long as there is transparency and accountability. In this vein, what is commendable is that the shopping centre was built in a setting that placed a great deal of emphasis on the aesthetics and overall environmental enhancement. Too often, we see developers putting up concrete structures in almost desert-like settings with inadequate space for parking and no attempt to beautify the surroundings.

Slidie Joe Whitter deserves some national recognition for his contribution to Montego Bay’s development. Too often, it is only when people have died or are on their deathbed that such an accolade is forthcoming. In the meantime, it is so sad to see certain people getting national honours because of their political or class status when, in the final analysis, they have no meaningful track record of excellence or meaningful contribution to the wider community. Yes, there are some who will continue to argue that Joe Whitter was a “slum landlord” in Great Britain, where he amassed his vast wealth, etc.

Last Saturday was a great day for the Whitters and Montego Bay and this admirable couple put the icing on the cake when, in commemoration of his birthday, Mr Whitter donated $1million to the Cornwall Regional Hospital Renal Unit. Hats off to Slidie Joe Whitter and his wife Angella, for having given western Jamaica a thing of beauty which no doubt will provide much joy to Jamaicans as well as visitors to the island.

This is yet another fine example of what can be achieved by people who have come up from the canepiece but who have been able to follow the mantra of Marcus Mosiah Garvey which states: “Up you mighty race, you can accomplish what you will.”

lloydbsmith@hotmail.com