MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — More than half-a-billion dollars will be spent at Harmony Beach Park in Montego Bay to repair groyne damage from unusually heavy surges in February 2024 plus add finishing touches to the 16-acre attraction.

M&M Jamaica Limited, the main contractors that did the original work on the $1.3-billion facility, will again be tasked with putting in additional storage, restrooms and a pavilion for events on the southern side of the venue. There will also be additional parking.

“I want the people of Jamaica to understand that climate change is real, it has fiscal impact, budgetary impacts and the Government is doing the best it can to ensure that the assets that we have that are coastal, that are low lying, that are at risk of sea level rise and other climate activity, that we are making the investments to protect them,” declared Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness after a walk-through of the area with other stakeholders Friday.

His comments came after Tuesday’s call from the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), supported by 34 civil society groups and individuals, for the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) to ensure that their election manifestos include concrete plans to address environmental issues. That call was endorsed by both parties. Minister with responsibility for the environment Matthew Samuda told the Jamaica Observer that the JLP “has always had environmental commitments published in its manifesto, which it has met” while the PNP’s spokesperson on environment and ecological heritage Senator Sophia Frazer-Binns told the Observer that the environment will definitely be part of the party’s focus.

On Friday, Holness stressed that the work being done at Harmony Beach Park and other locations has to achieve a delicate balance.

“The Government of Jamaica is very sensitive to issues of the environment, and this sensitivity is even more acute as the Government embarks upon a very transformational infrastructure development plan,” he declared.

The prime minister said there are similar works being done across Jamaica and it is important that they meet the required standards as it relates to environmental protection.

“The Government’s ultimate duty is to protect the environment for current and future generations. However, we do hold the view that there is an optimal point, an equilibrium where we can pursue infrastructure development while at the same time protecting the environment,” he said.

“And, indeed there is a synergy that you can pursue the development of the environment, the protection of the environment and still pursue economic growth,” Holness added.

According to Loy Malcolm, head of technical services at the Urban Development Corporation which has responsibility for the park, though the northern groynes were damaged by the February weather event, there was a positive spin-off.

“The beach area expanded by nearly 30-40 per cent, so we have to take some of the wins,” she said.

“Second thing that happened, you will see that the sill prior to that February event was submerged, it is now exposed. That’s how much wave action we had in February,” she noted.

Malcolm said they are making fair progress with the repairs which also includes a section of the North Gully wall.

Turning her attention to the additional work being done by M&M, she said this should be completed by September.

“Five hundred and eighty million dollars, that’s the cost of the contract,” Malcolm told reporters.

Meanwhile, in response to a query about recent water quality issues at the park that forced temporary closure of the beach, Malcolm told the Observer it had been caused by a red tide issue that has since been addressed.

Harmony Beach Park was officially opened in May 2021. The area, previously known as “Dump Up Beach”, was transformed into an ultra-modern recreational facility for the western city. The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) describes it as its “flagship project” in Montego Bay.