KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of National Security, Dr Horace Chang, officially opened the new Buff Bay Police Station in Portland on Thursday.

The facility was constructed at a cost of $126 million and was built under the Ministry’s ‘Project Rebuild, Overhaul, and Construct (ROC),’ which aims to rebuild, renovate, and retrofit police stations islandwide.

The new facility features a ramp for the disabled, a server room, interview rooms, barracks and other modern amenities.

Speaking at the ceremony, the minister said the Government is investing in improving police stations across the island, and over the next three years,  “we will spend in the region of $14 billion on police facilities.”

“We are committed to effectively transforming police stations and we have effectively dealt with 101 of those stations,” he continued.

Member of Parliament for Portland Western, Daryl Vaz, in a release welcomed the new facility, noting that it will boost the morale of the police, so that they can better carry out their work to serve and protect citizens.

Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, in his remarks, said the “force is transforming,” and assured residents of the commitment of members in ensuring their safety and security as they go about their business.

Dr Chang said that work on 16 facilities will be completed by the end of the financial year and disclosed that the police station upgrading programme is “all Government-funded,” with the National Housing Trust (NHT) spending some $2 billion, and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) providing crucial support.

The minister used the opportunity to reveal that Savanna-la-Mar in Westmoreland will be getting a new police station. He said that design work for the facility has been completed and “we are going to tender, and we will build a decent station to operate from.”