PORT ANTONIO, Portland — Portland’s iconic attraction, the Blue Lagoon, continues to be mired in controversy and remains shuttered as various agencies butt heads while the State attempts to improve conditions at the facility.

The Portland Municipal Corporation (PMC) kept a promise made during its December sitting to meet with stakeholders working on upgrading the attraction. Last Thursday the matter was back on the agenda.

According to PMC Director of Planning Tracy Thomas, the Blue Lagoon was inspected by a joint team consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Local Government, the PMC, and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT).

“Based on the inspection there were certain concerns or issues, such as there is no designated parking space, there is no designated area for vending,” she said, adding that the PMC was sticking to its stance that it would not approve an application for a guard house to be built on the road.

“These concerns were outlined to the Jamaica National Heritage Trust and it is for them to address these concerns and get back to the municipal corporation,” Thomas said.

The lack of sanitary conveniences at the facility has been cited as one of the main reasons it needed upgrading. During Thursday’s meeting, PMC head and mayor of Port Antonio Councillor Paul Thompson (Jamaica Labour Party, Manchioneal Division) asked for an update on that aspect of the work being done.

Thomas advised that an application was forwarded to the health ministry, which then said it needed the PMC’s sign-off before approving the request.

Mayor Thomson immediately interjected.

“Where is the space? Space was an issue. There was no space there for us to agree on. Did National Heritage Trust take that into consideration?” he queried.

Thomas replied that the JNHT had been made aware of the PMC’s concerns about the lack of space on the Blue Lagoon property for the addition of sanitary facilities. Suggestions, she said, had also been offered.

“We have reminded them that there are private spaces available around and we have asked them to have dialogue with the property owners,” she noted.

According to PMC environmental officer Lorenzo Hume, the JNHT had submitted a request to the health department for the construction of a “structure at the entrance of the lagoon”.

“We weren’t giving in to it,” he said. “There is no space provided for outside of the roadway and we have other recommendation in respect to refuse [waste] management and other aspects as it relates to environmental public health. As soon as we get sufficient clearings and clear indication of the site we will make our recommendation.”

In bringing the discussion to an end, Thomas lobbed the ball into the JNHT’s court.

“It is the responsibility of the National Heritage Trust to dialogue with the private property owners,” she said.