LITTLE LONDON, Westmoreland — An 80-year-old pensioner, who may have to relocate to make way for the planned Negril International Airport, already knows his asking price. He wants $10 million for his one-bedroom concrete house in Masemure Flats.

“It was last week that I was hearing and I said that I have my house and anyhow that is to happen, they will have to pay me $10 million for my house that I live in. I am a pensioner and I don’t have anywhere to go,” said the senior citizen.

The man, who said he began working with Frome Sugar Factory when he was 17 years old, reluctantly identified himself as “Pointer”.

“Any how they are going to do anything, they have to know seh them and my lawyer talk first or what and what,” he insisted.

The Airport Authority of Jamaica told a recent conference in Negril that a housing development and the local high school would eventually need to be relocated to make way for future growth of the Negril airport that will be constructed in Little London. An upgrade from the existing aerodrome, it will be Jamaica’s fourth international airport. It will be located within 15 to 20 minutes of the tourism belt and the Negril seven-mile beach. It was deemed the better of two strong options but plans for future expansion will still see some level of dislocation for people like Pointer.

He is among several factory workers who were living in the old sugar barracks on a section of the Masemure sugar cane lands. However, their original board houses were demolished and concrete ones built under the Frome Sugar Transformation Housing Project with funds provided by the European Union. There is also another housing scheme in the area, one developed by the National Housing Trust (NHT).

Weeks of efforts to get a response from the NHT on plans for that development were unsuccessful.

According to Pointer, residents are professionals and they were likely at work outside the community. The elderly man appeared resigned to a fate of relocating, as long as he is compensated, to make way for the airport.

Principal of Little London High School Garfield James was more enthusiastic about the planned airport.

“I fully endorse the plan to construct the Negril International Airport, despite the fact that the site identified, so far, is in close proximity to the school, which indicates that a recommendation is that the school would have to be relocated for future expansion,” he said in response to queries from the Jamaica Observer.

The school was informed of the development during a stakeholders’ meeting held on September 19.

According to James, he sees no challenge with such a recommendation as lands are available for relocation though a specific site is yet to be identified.

“Those available lands are within the same geographical space, and there is enough time to plan and execute such a relocation,” he argued.

The administrator noted that it was too early to give specifics on the proposed relocation and a timeline. However, he is convinced that such a move will augur well for the school community and the entire Westmoreland.

In 2019, when the Ministry of Education committed $13 million to help complete a much-needed six-classroom building block, Little London High School had 869 students enrolled. The additional space was supposed to make it possible for them to accommodate an additional 210 students. Today there are more than 700 enrolled. The numbers fell during the pandemic and never fully rebounded.

“The benefits that an international airport would bring to the parish are enormous, and the relocation of the Little London High School would only serve the school in a positive way, on the basis that the school would be able to offer modern amenities and facilities,” said James.

For years the discussions had surrounded upgrading the aerodrome which is located on the Hanover side of Negril. However, it was eventually determined that the site would not be able to accommodate larger aircraft used for international flights.

As a result, two possible sites in Westmoreland were examined — Little London and New Hope/Retreat Sugar Estate. It was determined that the New Hope/Retreat Sugar Estate site was not suitable for future expansion as that could have an impact on existing communities, streams and water sources. As a result, the Little London site was selected.