THE Morant Bay Urban Centre project, which is set to be completed by September, was Thursday described by Prime Minister Andrew Holness as the “economic engine” for driving development and improving livelihood for St Thomas residents.

“The parish of St Thomas is better off today than it was 10 years ago, without question,” he said during a tour of the construction site on Thursday.

Holness said the centre, which was first conceptualised in 2018, will not only boost the country’s economic development but also provide opportunities for St Thomas residents, specifically those who live close to the urban centre.

“In effect, the Government, in making the investment in developing this town, is creating a new economic engine that will power the development of St Thomas and we intend to replicate this model right across Jamaica,” he said.

The businesses within the centre, Holness said, will create job opportunities for more residents in various sectors and will offer convenience to residents by eliminating the need for frequent travel to Kingston to handle daily affairs.

He highlighted the introduction of buildings for the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) and the Heart/NSTA Trust training institute as key to residents having more access to educational opportunities.

“Heart will give all levels of training which we normally do in the parish but now we will have a purpose-built facility to advance and accelerate the training of the workforce here to supply all the needs of this facility,” said Holness.

Chairman of Factories Corporation of Jamaica Limited (FCJ) Lyttleton Shirley said that discussions are in place to expand the centre “to facilitate the establishment of a community micro-business park and a farmers’ outlet”. He explained that this is part of efforts to give more attention to small business owners and provide them with an opportunity to benefit from the establishment.

“Many had viewed St Thomas as a forgotten parish and a major risk for investment. Now, today, I am pleased to see the progress being made on this development which will serve as a blue print for future urban developments,” Shirley said.

Member of Parliament for St Thomas Western James Robertson thanked Prime Minister Holness for his contributions to reviving the parish and used the opportunity to declare that due to the development of new roads and infrastructure St Thomas is no longer “the forgotten parish”.

However, despite the celebrations of a new project contributing to the country’s development, Holness said he wants future projects to be completed faster.

“I need to see us do large projects and do them quickly, we can do it, we have the skills resident here in Jamaica to do it. Often times the biggest challenge is the public bureaucracy. Moving a sheet of paper, which would have a signature of approval, from one office to the next sometimes takes as long as building the foundation for the buildings here,” he explained.

“More people are going to come here and you are going to see that improvement, but the time it takes between conceiving this idea in 2018 and getting it done now, believe me, I, too, am frustrated. But it is my job to speed things up… So, the next challenge for the Government is how to become more efficient,” Holness added.

The Morant Bay Urban Centre will also host a new St Thomas Municipal Corporation building, the parish’s first-ever Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant, a National Commercial Bank building, the St Thomas Parish Court, a call centre and a Hi-Lo supermarket.