PRIME Minister Andrew Holness has assured residents of Grants Pen in St Thomas that sufficient provisions are being put in place to prevent them from being forced into obscurity as a result of the construction of the eastern leg of the Southern Coastal Highway.

Holness was on a tour of St Thomas where he received updates from contractors executing the project.

Part of the Government’s way of showing that Grants Pen will not be shut out from the development and economic benefits associated with the highway was to build a $40-million access road which connects the community to the highway. Holness promised the residents that not only will they be able to access the highway via their own road, but more businesses will set up establishments in the community because of the easy access.

“We made this stop to point out that in the construction of this major roadway we ensured that communities would continue to have the benefit of the highway. Grants Pen has potential. It could become a fishing village, an entertainment centre, and it could host rest stop facilities. We seek to develop it along those lines.

“Even though we are making this massive development to create a new highway, we are not leaving out the people. The people must benefit from the infrastructure. Even if they are some distance away, even if it is in a remote community, everyone must have access to transportation and access to the business,” Holness stressed, adding that provisions were also made to ensure the community does not become flooded when it rains.

James Robertson, Member of Parliament for St Thomas Western, said the highway project and the inclusion of Grants Pen is a dream come true.

“There are very few places in Jamaica or the world where you come out of your home and turn right on a four-lane highway. This is a dream come true. We have plans for an entertainment centre and fishing village.

“It was really a community where truck drivers could stop before taking the hill. It’s the last stop before heading back into Kingston. We will continue to develop the plans,” Robertson said.