THE proposed rejuvenation of the Milk River Bath located in the parish of Clarendon is once again being considered by the Ministry of Tourism. Such a valuable tourism resource, which is famous for the therapeutic value of its waters, should not be disregarded. This mineral bath, which is characterised by its water flowing from the crevices in the hill, into the small bathhouses, is one of the most radioactive in the world. Why have we not fully realised its healing and economic potentials?

The parish of Clarendon has some unique attributes that can be marketed, both locally and internationally, under the label of special interest tourism. The parish itself has an interesting history. In 1665, an Englishman by the name of Thomas Lynch came to this parish, along with Penn and Venables (who took Jamaica from the Spaniards), and named it in honour of an English Chancellor, Lord Clarendon. Vere, which is located in the southern parts, was actually another parish and was named after the daughter of Sir Edward Herber, attorney general to Charles I of England. The lady, Vere, was also the first wife of Sir Thomas Lynch. Clarendon acquired its present geographic location after the island of Jamaica was reduced from 22 to 14 parishes by an Act in 1814, and the parishes of Clarendon and Vere were constituted as one parish under the name Clarendon, with May Pen being the chief town.

Clarendon has also been inhabited by a variety of ethnic groups. The Tainos lived on the Portland Ridge, in the Braziletto Mountain, and on the banks of Rio Minho and Milk River. The Spaniards also settled in the parish and inhabited it with cattle and horses. Additionally, the first set of Indians, who arrived in the island as indentured labourers, went to the district of Hayes in the parish. Although not an ethnic group, it is also important to mention that the first set of Maroons in the parish lived in Suttons, which is located in the northern part where the Sutton Plantation slave rebellion occurred in 1690.

Clarendon’s capital since 1938, May Pen, was once a part of a property owned by a Reverend William May, former Rector of Kingston Parish Church for 32 years. This property had only two inns on a bank of the Rio Minho, which accommodated travellers passing through from the west of the island to Old Harbour, then the shipping port.

There were many obstacles to the development of May Pen in the early 19th century. Transportation was poor and the Rio Minho posed a threat since there was no bridge to facilitate safe crossing. There was also a shortage of labour for the nearby sugar plantations in Vere and therefore, in 1845, East Indians were imported in order to provide an adequate and dependable labour force. The current infirmary, located in the Denbigh area, was built as a hospital for these East Indians. During the second half of the 19th century, May Pen’s development was affected by islandwide events such as the change in the constitution and local administration. Many estates also ceased operation and there was an increase in the number of absentee owners.

Another hallmark in May Pen’s history is the bridge which was constructed between 1870 and 1874 at a cost of approximately £17,000. It was described as the ‘finest bridge in the world’. On October 1, 1885, the first meeting of the Parochial Board of Clarendon was convened to discuss the construction of roads and water supply, among other things. In 1886, the road over the bridge was claimed by the government and became a public main road, instead of a parish road. In 1879, the government extended the railway line, which was already established from Kingston through the parish, to Porus. The water supply was also improved by the use of borehole wells near the Rio Minho Basin.

These developments along with the establishment of the Vernam Field base, in 1940, by the Americans marked the rapid growth of the town. May Pen was then described as one of the fastest-growing towns in Jamaica. On the periphery of the town lies the Denbigh showground which has been hosting the Jamaica Agricultural Society’s annual Agricultural and Industrial Show since 1953.

Among the opportunities for Clarendon could be the positioning of the parish for special interest tourism. Its location on the ‘unbeaten track’ and rich history create this possibility. Clarendon’s history could be documented, archived and depicted in a museum; the ideal location for which could be the Denbigh Showground. This proposal was previously examined and related in one of my research papers entitled the Denbigh Showground: A potential “agri-cultural” attraction concept for tourism in Jamaica (Emerald Emerging Market Case Studies, 2013). This research presented some possible places of interest which could be included in the tourism dynamics of the parish. These include:

o Halse Hall Great House: constructed in 1655 and previously owned by Major Thomas Halse

o St Peter’s Anglican Church: located in Alley and built with brick and stone quoins in 1671

o Portland Point Lighthouse: situated on the Portland Ridge

o Monymusk Sugar Factory: located on the Vere plain

o Bull Head Mountain: highest mountain in the parish and is considered to be “the geographic centre of the island”.

o Morgan’s Pass: once owned by the famous buccaneer, Sir Henry Morgan.

o David’s Face: located in northern Clarendon and depicts the face of the previous owner, Tom Peters.

o God’s well: located near Milk River and is described as a bottomless sinkhole.

o Vernamfield: located near Milk River, and USA air force base was built during World War II

o Kemps Hill Lookout Point: used to view Carlyse Bay; once a busy port.

o Jackson’s Bay: white sandy beach used and enjoyed by the Tainos

o Farquhar’s Beach: a small fishing village located close to Milk River

o Rocky Point: a large fishing village west of Portland Point.

Could these be hidden treasures to be explored for special interest tourism in the parish of Clarendon?

Gaunette Sinclair-Maragh is a senior lecturer at the University of Technology, Jamaica, who specialises in tourism sociology, hospitality management and marketing, international business management, citizenry welfare and socio-economic development issues. gaunsmar@yahoo.com