PORT MARIA, St Mary — Member of Parliament for (MP) St Mary Western Robert Montague has declared that the Government is making major investments in the parish that will see thousands of young people becoming employed through the creation of an economic zone and other developments.

Montague pointed to the planned developments during the National Heroes’ Day celebration on Monday at the St Mary Anglican Church hall.

He said the water woes facing residents of sections of central and western St Mary will soon be a thing of the past.

“To lay out the future of this parish, the greater Mason Hall Water Supply Project, when it’s completed, will not only supply Mason Hall, Kingland, Days Mountain, and Grants Town, but will also supply Tower Isle straight into Port Maria to ease the water woes of the people of western and central St Mary.

“While in Annotto Bay the two Georgian wells, when [they are] commissioned…central St Mary water woes will be eased,” said Montague.

In regards to the Ian Fleming International Airport, Montague noted that American Airlines will make daily flights to the destination starting on December 5.

American Airlines introduced twice weekly flights from Miami to the Ian Fleming International Airport in Boscobel, St Mary, in February, but suspended the service for an announced six week in September.

With questions being asked about the value of the airport, Montague also announced that come 2025 another major airline will start making stops at the facility, but he did not name the airline.

The veteran MP pointed out that south of the airport an economic zone is already under construction and the manual labour for the project will be sought from within the parish.

“The idea is to establish a free zone and urban centre, which will create 2,500 jobs for the people of western St Mary. Therefore, we have partnered with the Heart/[NSTA] Trust to train these people. We do not want to see the people from Manchester or St Ann getting these jobs,” added Montague.

— Ingrid Henry