KINGSTON, Jamaica— Up to 2,500 jobs will be created in Boscobel, St Mary once the construction of the much-touted special economic zone (SEZ) is complete.

This is according to Member of Parliament for St Mary Western, Robert Montague. He gave the update on the project on Tuesday during his contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives.

Montage informed that the National Land Agency has been instructed to transfer 31 acres of lands being held by the Airports Authority, to the Factories Corporation of Jamaica for the establishment of the SEZ and urban centre. The construction will take place at Boscobel, south of the Ian Fleming International Airport.

“This project has seen lands cleared so that the architect can finalise the designs, and the necessary geotechnical tests can be fast tracked,” Montague shared. He said the plan draws on the unique opportunities that having an international airport next door gives.

“So [it will comprise], a business processing facility to do data entry for legal, medical and technological back-office processing, a commercial centre to house: restaurants, four banks, stores, government offices etc., warehouses, factories, aircraft hangers, factory outlets, new terminal building and a medical facility will be accommodated,” Montage outlined.

“It is estimated that this area will be employing some 2,500 Jamaicans and I want the vast majority to be from St Mary,” he added.

Montague said a partnership has been entered into with the HEART-NSTA Trust to train and certify individuals in data entry, construction skills, office management, IT and other hospitality skills.

“We have started with over 200 trainees in Gayle and will be opening another centre in Mount Angus, then Windsor Castle, Boscobel, Galina and Valley Bush,” he noted.

He said: “This project is good for everyone; more places will be available for rent, more people will be traveling, so more income for the bus and taxi man, more people working -so the bars, night clubs, barbers, hairdressers, cook shops, restaurants, vendors, will benefit. More economic activity means the whole region will be uplifted. The hardware store will sell more. More people with new incomes will build houses or add to what they have.  Property values will increase. Yes, this is shared prosperity”.