THE North-South Highway was yesterday renamed the Edward Seaga Highway, in honour of the former Jamaican prime minister.

Prime Minister Holness, who officially renamed the highway during a ceremony at the Unity Valley Toll Plaza in Moneague, St Ann, said the gesture is in honour of Seaga’s “contribution, his work, his dedication, his sacrifice and his life”.

The prime minister said the renaming was appropriate, given that Seaga was responsible for the development of downtown Kingston, adding that he also initiated the development and expansion of Ocho Rios as a tourism destination.

“The highway, which spans several Administrations, links the two economic centres — Kingston and Ocho Rios. It is, therefore, symbolically appropriate to accord Mr Seaga this honour,” he said.

Holness said Seaga will live on through his work because he has spent his life building institutions and infrastructure that define the nation and provide service and value.

“We memorialise his work, his legacy, in a physical manifestation, and we inscribe his name on it that it might live on in the minds of those who own the future, that they may be inspired by it and seek to make similar if not greater contributions to building our nation,” he said.

In response, Seaga said the event represented an “extraordinary moment” in his life and thanked Prime Minister Holness for according him the honour.

Seaga said highways are important features in the continued development of the country.

“We cannot build cities and towns that are separated from each other without having at least a link through which to join them,” he said.

Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Jamaica Tian Qi pointed out that the highway is not only for traffic, “but also a highway to the happiness, success, and prosperity for Jamaica”.

“The Edward Seaga Highway is a paradigm of successful practical cooperation between China and Jamaica and is also the crystallisation of China’s capital, technology, and Jamaica’s incentive for foreign direct investment (FDI),” he said.

The highway was built by China Harbour Engineering Company.