I was privileged to be appointed one of 13 Government senators in 2016 and reappointed in 2021. I am also privileged to sit as a councillor in the St James Municipal Corporation and served as mayor of the city of Montego Bay. By virtue thereof, many comments and concerns come to one’s attention from the people, and we must listen, advocate and act.

In the Senate, on every occasion possible, I make reference to Montego Bay, St James, and other western parishes. Some may view my stance as parochial. However, being a true blue Montegonian, I carry with me, at all times, the aspirations of residents of western Jamaica that we must and, in the shortest possible time, fulfil the mantra of Vision 2030 — being the place of choice to live, work, do business, and raise families.

For many who know me well, my passion for Montego Bay and its potential for greater prosperity causes me to view it as an offence when Montego Bay is referred to as the Second City. Many Montegonians have advocated for Montego Bay to be given its fair share of the national pie to reflect its contribution to Jamaica’s gross domestic product (GDP) and overall well-being. They dubbed Montego Bay the Republic.

We can reflect on the advocacy and contribution of Anthony “Tony” Hart, Dr Herbert Eldemire, Charles E Sinclair, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Godfrey Dyer, Lloyd B Smith, Winston Dear, Mark Kerr-Jarrett, Nathan Robb, Noel Sloley to name a few of vintage quality. More recently, there are the young Turks who have taken up the mantle, such as Adam Stewart, Mark Hart, John Byles, Ian Dear, and the Russells (Robin and Jason), who have been effective in getting the message across to the movers and shakers in central government, regardless of which Administration is in power.

On the political front, those who have carried the message, such as ministers Horace Chang and Edmund Bartlett, must be commended. Under their stewardship the city of Montego Bay and its environs, and other western parishes, have seen tremendous infrastructural development with more to come.

This takes me to the Montego Bay perimeter road project. Under this project the parish of St James will benefit from the construction of a new perimeter road starting at Ironshore in the east to Bogue in the west. The construction of a new road from Montpelier through to Bogue will effectively bypass the treacherous Long Hill. The improvement of the roadway from Westgreen to Barnett Street and through to Howard Cooke into dual carriageways will also be a benefit. Along with a comprehensive drainage study for the city of Montego Bay.

In the city of Montego Bay it is expected that the frustrating traffic congestion will be significantly eased, movement of goods and people will become more efficient and cost-effective. Other areas of the parish will be made accessible allowing for physical expansion of the city. This project is significant and timely to the continued growth and development of not only Montego Bay but will enure to the benefit of the western parishes of Hanover, Westmoreland and Saint Elizabeth. The new road from Montpelier to Bogue, connecting to the recently done McField to Ferris road, will also have positive impact on the surrounding and adjoining economies.

With the indisputable benefits to be derived from this project, in a time when Jamaica must recover faster and stronger on the backside of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Government of Jamaica led by the Andrew Holness, must be commended for declaring the Montego Bay perimeter road project a national development project.

History will recall construction of the sewage ponds at Bogue in the 1990s, which stymied the growth of Montego Bay to the West. These ponds were constructed after the lands earmarked for development of what would have been the “new Montego Bay” were acquired by the P J Patterson Administration in spite of local objections and suggestions of alternative solutions to Montego Bay’s sewage problem. Still, those from Kingston thought they knew best and we are where we are today.

Opposition and hypocrisy

Western Jamaica must reject the efforts of the Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding, and a few in the People’s National Party (PNP) using cheap politicking in an attempt to derail this valuable project. Many Montegonians viewed Golding’s proposal for the Government to withdraw the order declaring the project as a national development project as a “slap in the face”.

The three Members of Parliament on the Opposition benches who abstained and refused from voting with their leader must be given credit. They stood for principle and on the side of Montegonians.

If the stance taken by Mark Golding, now supported by Trevor Munroe, were ever to succeed, and the project derailed, St James and western Jamaica would likely have to, as we say in local parlance, “suck salt through wooden spoon”.

Delays in the project will continue the frustration and expense associated with traffic congestion, reduce business opportunities, deprive Jamaicans of much-needed employment, and stifle Montego Bay’s expansion. To reduce the lengthy procurement processes it is legally allowed, under the Public Procurement Act which was passed by the PNP in 2015, for the Government to take route it has on this initiative. The principle of direct contracting was supported by Mark Golding and others then, but they wish to oppose it now. Hypocrisy clearly has no bounds.

This level of hypocrisy and politicking is more obvious when one considers the fact that today the legislation has created more effective monitoring systems than existed in 2015. The clamour by the PNP when this Administration gives life to existing legislation and applies the law brings to focus the disingenuous nature of the Opposition. The use of existing legislation, as is being done with the passage of the Public Procurement (Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project) Order, does not equate to corruption, lack of transparency, or reduced accountability, as being advanced by the PNP, so this claim must be rejected.

Oversight in place

This administration passed the Integrity Commission Act and resourced that body which has as one of its mandates to monitor all government contracts. I trust that the commission will do its work. I am confident that this Administration, unlike the previous PNP Administration of which Mark Golding was a part, will not take the relevant oversight body to court to restrict its monitoring function.

It should be noted that Prime Minister Holness has stated openly that the Integrity Commission will be one of the bodies at the table at all appropriate stages of the project. Having made that declaration, he is sending the signal that he is committed to the principle of accountability.

For greater transparency, Jamaicans must be made aware that they too are entitled to information under the Access to Information Act. The Jamaican people also have the greatest tool in their armoury to hold government accountable; namely, our electoral process, and they have not been afraid to use it.

JLP has done more for MoBay

I will be bold and declare that this JLP Administration and others of the past have done more for the city of Montego Bay in respect of infrastructural development and improvement to its communities and livelihood of its residents than any PNP administration. If anyone wishes to take on the challenge of that debate I am all ready; the facts cannot be denied.

As a born Montegonian, I support the Government’s declaration on this project and recommend the public support its timely and successful completion.

Charles Sinclair is Government-appointed senator. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or sinclairc77@yahoo.com.