ST JAMES, Jamaica (JIS) — Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government is focused on developing Falmouth into a world-class destination, where its rich culture and history are fully utilised.

He noted that through the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), significant investments will be made to transform Falmouth “into what undoubtedly will be the gem of the Caribbean.”

“This is a town that has a wealth of assets in terms of its culture, sites of interest and its architecture. However what defines Falmouth best of all is its people. The people … are the heartbeat of everything that we see here,” Holness said.

He was speaking to the media at the Falmouth Cruise Ship Pier in Trelawny, following a tour of the town centre yesterday.

The prime minister emphasised that through partnership with the residents, vendors, craftspeople and other stakeholders, the Government will transform Falmouth into the mecca of tourism in the Caribbean.

“What we are trying to do with the PAJ and other agencies is to ensure that brand Jamaica is on full display where both locals and visitors can enjoy. It’s not that we want to create enclave investments. We want to make the entire town a place where both locals and visitors can enjoy world-class facilities in an intelligently planned environment,” Holness added. 

 Meanwhile, Holness noted that the cruise shipping industry has recognised the value of Falmouth.

“The challenge, however, is that the pier and the rest of the facilities are literally cut off from the rest of the town. The rest of the town is not keeping with the standard of this facility,” he stated.

Holness added that he has a lot of confidence in the PAJ’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate and ensuring that the people of Jamaica get the desired results from their hard earned tax dollars.