While major infrastructure and residential developments signal new promise for Spanish Town, the once-thriving capital of Jamaica, business leaders say the town remains under-served and under-leveraged, especially after dark.

Now, the St Catherine Chamber of Commerce and Industry is calling for bold ideas to breathe life into Spanish Town’s commercial districts, including extended opening hours, cultural night markets, and weekend entertainment events to draw people back into the town centre and market district.

Talks of new ways to woo consumers back into the old capital came amid growing anxiety from business owners who say they are floundering under pressure from global online retailers like Amazon and Shein.

“They’re giving customers free shipping in the Caribbean. How do you compete with that?” Chamber President Dennis Robotham asked during Wednesday’s monthly meeting at which Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Robert Nesta Morgan was guest speaker. “If we sit back and do nothing, we’ll watch our commercial districts fade out.”

“We’re looking at ways to reintroduce activity into the heart of Spanish Town, especially in the evenings,” Robotham continued. “We cannot allow the town to die after 5:00 pm. We need foot traffic, nightlife, and safety, because without those, we’re just giving up the space.”

The proposal forms part of a broader plan to reposition Spanish Town as a commercially and culturally vibrant hub — a vision that continues to be stymied by poor infrastructure, persistent crime, and what many see as decades of political neglect.

The chamber is also pushing to revive efforts to turn the town’s rich history into a commercial asset. Robotham used the platform to call for a renewed push to establish Spanish Town as a heritage destination, noting that prior attempts to create walking tours and cultural zones fizzled due to a lack of sustained Government support.

“This is a town that has produced three prime ministers — Portia Simpson Miller, Bruce Golding, and now Andrew Holness,” one councillor pointed out. “Yet we’re still fighting for basic things like proper roads, traffic management, and consistent police presence. It doesn’t add up.”

The chamber’s revival strategy includes using entertainers to anchor late-night shopping events, collaborating with the police for heightened security, and launching seasonal pilot programmes — such as during the October to December retail period — to test a revitalised after-hours economy.

“We have to create our own momentum,” Robotham said. “The idea is to start small — maybe Friday nights with discounts or performances — then build from there. But we can’t keep waiting for Government support that never comes.”

While members were receptive to the ideas, they pointed to long-standing infrastructural issues as a barrier to economic revival. Many also voiced concern that promotional activities and discounts alone won’t be enough to shift the narrative for a town still grappling with safety and mobility challenges.

The push comes as St Catherine joins a growing list of parishes now benefiting from the Government’s $40-billion Shared Prosperity Through Accelerated Improvement to Our Road Network (SPARK) Programme — a two-phase national infrastructure initiative aimed at repairing nearly 200 roads islandwide.

Still, several members pressed minister Morgan for specifics on when roadwork would begin in their divisions.

“So when can we expect to see the work really start in Spanish Town? It seems we’re always left for last, and I’m not sure why,” one participant said.

Morgan responded that while change may feel slow, the SPARK Programme represents a fundamental shift in how road infrastructure is being approached.

“This is the first structured, deep roadwork programme we’ve done in decades,” he said. “It’s not just a fix-it-as-you-go approach. These are engineered roadways with proper drainage and warranties. And while the change may not feel immediate, it is happening.”

He noted that 38 roads are currently under construction, with 70 expected to be completed by July — one in each constituency. Completed or near-completion projects include Richings Avenue in St Andrew, Mahoe Drive and Ransford Close in St Catherine, and several roads in downtown Kingston. Paving was also underway this week on Orange Grove and Doherty Drive in St Andrew.

“We’ve already announced 168 roads,” Morgan added during Tuesday’s post-Cabinet press briefing. “We started 24 in April, another 32 are about to begin, and by the end of May we expect to be active in over 50 locations. So far, we’ve reached 38 constituencies and we’re moving quickly.”