ON May 8, 2011, a National Geographic Documentary on Port Royal entitled Wicked Pirate City was aired. Members of TEENage, just like many other Jamaicans and other persons from around the world, caught wind of the buzz on the social networking site, Twitter and tuned in.

The two-hour long documentary featured an attempt by foreigners to recreate the once “richest and wickedest city in the world” in the form of a 3-D model. During the process of their expedition, a detailed account of Port Royal’s history and its key players was narrated and re-enacted to give viewers an impression of the city that sank in the wake of the massive 1692 earthquake.

Viewers were astonished by the remains of the sunken portion of Port Royal still present underwater, as well as the city’s rich history.

The documentary gathered bittersweet reactions among those following our Twitter account, @TEENageObserver, as despite the overwhelming feeling of patriotism at the fact that our history was being displayed on a global platform, one could not ignore that Jamaica failed in aiding Port Royal to achieve its full potential as a tourist destination.

This was a similar feeling for many a couple of years ago when it was discovered that the Port Royal scenes of the Disney blockbuster franchise Pirates of the Caribbean, was not shot in Port Royal, or even Jamaica, but in the Eastern Caribbean.

Just like the ongoing efforts to redevelop downtown Kingston and its landmarks is an applauded measure, we here at TEENage hope that Port Royal will be given the rightful attention it deserves.

We believe that there is absolutely no reason for Port Royal to not be a respectable stand alone tourist destination, or even a key component of Kingston’s attempt to become an alternative tourist destination to its North Coast counterparts.

Currently there are a few tourist attractions in Port Royal that serve to preserve its rich history such as its museum, Fort Charles, Nelson’s Quarterdeck, the famed Giddy House, and several others. Although it is commendable that these landmarks, and a majority of what is left of the town have been kept intact and preserved, more still needs to be done for the town’s tourist potentiality.

There has to be infrastructural developments for Port Royal if it is ever to accommodate the level of tourist activity needed for it to be considered a major tourist destination.

While there has been a multitude of proposals in relation to the development of Port Royal, TEENage would like concrete advancements to be made on the January 1, 2000 Port Royal Heritage Master Plan commissioned by the Port Royal Development Company, and designed by Jerde Partnership, an architectural and urban planning firm.

The proposals of the Port Royal Heritage Master Plan included the construction of a cruise ship pier, a fivestar hotel, eco-tours and parks, the Navel hospital museum, an entertainment centre at Fort Rocky, and several more welcomed additions.

The Port Royal Heritage Master Plan could also be a crucial asset for the Jamaica National Heritage Trust’s submission to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for the Underwater City of Port Royal to become a World Heritage Site.

On April 22nd of last year, Minister of Transport and Works, Mike Henry, announced a planned development of a cruise ship pier in Port Royal as a part of the Palisadoes Shoreline Protection and Rehabilitation Works Programme. He stated that this would be done to aid the government’s effort of improving Port Royal’s makeup as a tourist attraction and create more employment for Jamaicans.

If the commitment by our Minister of Transport and Works is followed through, and the proposals made in the Port Royal Heritage Master Plan are started, TEENage believes that the once wickedest and richest city on earth can regain its wealthy moniker.