NEGRIL, Westmoreland — The business community in this tourist resort area has distanced itself from remarks made by some stakeholders in the west who suggested that the Government should prioritise the long-awaited Lucea bypass road over recently announced plans to construct an international airport for Negril.

Earlier this week it was reported in other sections of the media that the immediate past president of the Negril Chamber of Commerce hotelier Richard Wallace and the Custos of Hanover Dr David Stair suggested that emphasis be placed on constructing the bypass road as a way to fix the chronic traffic bottleneck in Lucea.

However, president of the chamber Elaine Allen Bradley told its general meeting on Tuesday that they want both.

“Just to say that the chamber and its members, we want everything, bypass, airport, everything,” said Allen Bradley. “We can ask for everything all together. That does not mean that we will get them all at once, but at least they are on the cards.”

Her comments were endorsed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Westmoreland Western Morland Wilson, who also addressed the virtual meeting.

“If we are looking to develop Negril, let us just take what we get, as we say in Jamaica. Just take it and continue to lobby for more because at some point the airport is on the agenda, the beach road is on the agenda, and so too is other work,” argued Wilson.

Negril falls within both Hanover Western and Westmoreland Western. Hanover Western, in which Lucea is located, is represented by Member of Parliament Tamika Davis (Jamaica Labour Party).

Wilson said both constituencies will benefit from the projects.

Co-owner of Charela Inn Hotel in Negril and director of the chamber Sophia Grizzle Roumel pointed to upcoming tourism projects earmarked for Westmoreland as an example of what is to be gained from forward thinking.

“Let’s not think small. We need to think big. I want you all to remember that Little Bay has hardly been developed yet. There are massive tracts of land down there. When those hotels are built, no matter how much bypass you have, when we start having our workers coming to work as well as the visitors, it is still not going to be enough. So let us look into the future and stop looking five years down the line,” she argued.

Both Grizzle Roumel and Wilson also pointed to the potential benefits of receiving direct flights into Negril.

The majority of flights that supply guests to the area now utilise the Sangster International Airport in St James, which is currently experiencing lengthy delays in its immigration hall.

However, during a recent tour of a section of the airport Prime Minister Andrew Holness said some US$70 million is to be spent on upgrading the interior infrastructure of the port.