TRANSPORT Minister Mike Henry has thrown his support behind a proposed downtown Kingston Grand Prix scheduled to commence in June this year.

“We are in discussion with government to have a street race on the waterfront tentatively set for the 19th of June,” Hilary Jardene, president of the Jamaica Race Drivers Club (JRDC), revealed at last week’s launch of the 2011 Dover racing series.

Jardine said that discussions with the transport ministry surrounded the paving of the selected route for the road race, which is envisioned, could attract a huge international audience.

“With the minister’s blessing we are going to have it every year,” Jardene declared.

Selected streets for the proposed Kingston Grand Prix are Harbour Street, Port Royal Street, Fleet Street and Hanover Street.

Transport Minister Mike Henry, guest speaker at the launch, heartily endorsed the Grand Prix concept commenting that it worked in other cities and could also be a success in Jamaica.

“When I see what Singapore is doing with their Grand Prix, I must support you in your Grand Prix,” Henry told members of the JRDC.

Highlighting the strong potential for visitors to the city, Henry said that the revival of downtown Kingston was an “important and worthwhile issue” and should be vigorously pursued.

He, however, cautioned that people would be sceptical about doing road works for racing when roads elsewhere were in dire need of repairs.

“I hope you’ll rise to my defence when I do the roads and people complain that there are others more needing of repairs,” Henry told JRDC members at the Pegasus launch.

Paving of the designated roadways is planned to start next week, Jardene told Auto yesterday.

“We are trying to do like Monaco. Tourists pack Monaco every year,” Jardene commented, adding that the benefits to Kingston could be just as vast.

“We are doing this for tourists,” he said.

The Monaco Grand Prix, a Formula One race held each year has carved a historic niche in motor racing since the late 1920s.

The race held on a narrow course along the streets of Monaco, is considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world.

Commenting that motor racing was not among the top three sports in Jamaica, Jardene said that it was nevertheless a top earner in many other countries. “I want to lift the sport to another level,” he said.

However, the actual cost to stage the event here is still unknown.

“We haven’t worked out a budget yet but it won’t be very expensive to stage,” the JRDC president remarked.

One of Jardene’s concerns is that of security and he emphasised that all efforts are being taken to ensure the protection of visitors, spectators and competitors.

“I am thinking of asking the Government to provide soldiers for the event,” said Jardene.

Meanwhile, Henry, who prides himself as a one-time racing driver, said that efforts in the past to establish a racing series were cancelled because “we were told we were wasting fuel”.

But Henry, cognisant of current rising gasoline costs feels that the benefits will outweigh the fuel costs.

“I see the possibility of a Kingston Grand Prix growing the sport and increasing visitors to Jamaica,” said Henry.