MONTEGO BAY, St James — Mayor of Montego Bay Councillor Richard Vernon says the St James Municipal Corporation processed applications for building construction valued at some $13 billion over the last financial year.

Vernon, who is also chairman of the council, attributed the boom in current construction investments to strong investor confidence in Montego Bay.

“The business and construction confidence in Montego Bay is growing from strength to strength. We are moving from $10 billion in application processes two years ago, to last year, $11 billion, and for the last fiscal year 2024/2025 we have processed $13 billion in building applications,” Vernon boasted.

He was speaking during an official tour of the Edmund Ridge housing development in St James on Friday.

Vernon told the Jamaica Observer that over the last five years, the corporation approved building applications valued at some $60 billion, averaging $12 billion per year.

He also noted that about 90 per cent of building plans submitted have been processed by the municipal corporation over the last three months.

And while he explained that at times external agencies play a part in delaying building approvals, he assured that the corporation will get on board the ASPIRE system when it is rolled out, to intensify the pace of the process.

ASPIRE Jamaica, the Government’s new policy framework for inclusive growth, outlines six critical pillars for transforming Jamaica into a modern, peaceful, productive and prosperous society.

These are access to economic opportunity for all (inclusive growth); safety and security; people (human capital development); infrastructure development; reform of the bureaucracy (ease, speed, and cost of doing business); and economic diversification/new industries.

“The confidence is here and I will make my commitment to ensure that the St James Municipal Corporation is on board the ASPIRE programme so that we can accelerate the application process to realise more developments in the city of Montego Bay and the municipality of St James,” Vernon said.

“There are some persons who are saying nothing nah gwaan. But I can tell you, a lot of things are happening in St James, a lot of things in the city of Montego Bay,” he said.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, meanwhile, made reference to the Edmund Ridge Development and other housing developments as evidence of Government’s track record of performance.

“We have these kind of events, where we showcase what the Government has done, because there are so many lies being told and misinformation being spread that even sometimes when the thing is staring you in the face, because it has been crafted in a particular narrative, you come away with a view that nothing nah gwaan,” Holness said.

But he said this is the first time in the nation’s history that an Administration is able to campaign on its performance.

“For this Administration, we have a trailer load…we have projects on track. We have a train load of projects to deliver to the people of Jamaica. This is really the first time that any Government could make its performance record its campaign platform. I want Jamaica to consider that you now have an Administration that could make its performance record its campaign platform,” he said.

Three of the six phases of the 739 housing solutions that form the Edmund Ridge development have been completed.

HOLNESS… we have a train load of projects to deliver to the people of Jamaica.