THE committee spearheading the 150th anniversary observance of the Morant Bay uprising has challenged potential investors to set up businesses throughout St Thomas, which it said was ripe with development opportunities and endless possibilities.

“We are here now to say to the public: ‘Jamaica, St Thomas is open for business!” Social Development Commission parish manager for St Thomas, and planning committee member Lori Ann Peart Roberts said at the recent Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange.

“We have vast areas of agricultural lands that one could get into; we have a number of factory spaces that have remained empty over the last 15 years. Who in Jamaica is serious enough to put their money where their mouth is and come to St Thomas, albeit with bad roads, and give it a go?” she queried.

The SDC representative pointed out that while investment in the parish does not have to be costly, Government alone could not undertake it, hence the need for private sector involvement.

“Mining is a major industry for St Thomas. We have the best aggregate… we went to the beach with the UDC (Urban Development Corporation) and they are showing us high-quality granite which we import from all over the world [while] we do have granite here in Jamaica. Is there an investor out there who is willing to take a look at this?” she questioned further.

She also said that the parish has medical-grade limestone, which she said was another untapped investment opportunity.

Her colleague, planning committee member Bobby Sephestine, who is chairman of the St Thomas Parish Development Committee, added that national focus must be paid to the parish in order for the possibilities to be realised.

“We feel that the parish is ripe for development because of the great potential it has, but it is also our feeling that enough focus and attention is not being paid to it… the commemoration must remind us of the significance of the parish, and we hope through these events to focus attention again so that the prosperity that Paul Bogle and those martyrs fought and died for can be achieved for St Thomas,” he said.

Peart Roberts, who agreed that St Thomas has been neglected nationally, said the parish’s past had a great impact on where it is now, as after the uprising all the lands in the parish was taken back as Crown land, leaving the parish without factories and school. She argued that as a result, the people of St Thomas are at a disadvantage where development is concerned and are starting from “ground zero”, as opposed to other parishes which would have had the infusion of financiers.

“And so, it is important that at this point in time 150 years after that we are placed on the map of Jamaica and to say hey, we’re open for business. If you’re serious about business, there are lands, there are factory spaces there. The Government doesn’t have the funds to do it…are you willing to come in and do it?” she continued.

Peart Roberts and Sephestine were part of a six-member delegation from the planning committee who were guests of the Observer. The others were Professor Neville Ying, executive director of Jamaica Diaspora Institute; Rev Norva Rodney, pastor of the Kitson Town Circuit of Baptist Churches; Ainsley Henriques, chairman of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust; and Errol Greene, secretary/manager of the St Thomas Parish Council. They were accompanied by administrator at the parish council Susan Bryan.