When I was invited by its Founding Editor Desmond Allen in 1993 to contribute a weekly column to the newly established Jamaica Observer, I chose the title Life In The West, as it was felt at the time that my persistent advocacy on behalf of western Jamaica from my home base in Montego Bay would and should attract a wider audience. Many years later, I decided, in consultation with the newspaper, to explore issues right across the board of a provocative nature, hence my latest logo dubbed Point Counter Point.

Today, 32 years later (which makes me the longest-serving contributor to this esteemed newspaper), I have decided to shine the spotlight once more exclusively on the West, more so Montego Bay, its capital city, especially at this time when the region is recovering from the ravages of Hurricane Melissa.

Let me state unapologetically that I am one of those “country bumpkins” from Montego Bay who continues to insist and advocate that Kingston is not Jamaica. Yes, there are many upstarts in the capital city who oftentimes see and regard the western/second city as “country”.

Incidentally, the term “western city” became widely used and accepted thanks to my visionary colleague Gary Allen, who was then attached to CVM-TV and had taken the bold step to invite me to Kingston to be on a discussion programme focusing on Montego Bay and the west. We both agreed during our on-air discourse that the “western city” was perhaps a more appropriate way to describe Montego Bay, as the word “second” was somewhat condescending. Indeed, Gary flew me over to Kingston, providing me with hotel accommodation, because he believed that journalists in the west deserved to be treated in the same way as their counterparts in Kingston. Nuff respect, Gary!

Against this background, my first wish for the new year is that Montego Bay be forever officially recognised and called the western city, because we are second to none! In this vein, it is to be noted that Montego Bay has also been referred to as Jamaica’s “tourism capital” or “mecca”, and this writer has no problem with those names as they help to compliment the western city.

However, it is my unrepentant view that Montego Bay is still being short-changed as the island’s so-called second city and tourism capital in terms of its overall development as a major urban centre, as well as the ways in which decisions are made about its structure and overall future direction.

For too long the western city has been treated like a Cinderella or country cousin by the movers and shakers in central government and the corporate world in Kingston who have adopted a top-down approach to its governance. Lest we forget, it must be noted that pundits, both nationally and internationally, have described Montego Bay as the fastest-growing urban centre economically in Latin America and the Caribbean, yet driving through the western city, especially downtown, does not necessarily depict that view in real terms.

In this regard, it is my considered view that St James Municipal Corporation should be made into an autonomous body with an elected mayor. In this way, that body could raise more taxes as well as be able to negotiate loans and grants to fully develop the city, emboldened by an active and strengthened parish development committee (PDC).

Let’s face it, the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is a misnomer, and is an antiquated central government entity that should be abolished. When one thinks of the billions of dollars that flow into central government coffers while the local authority has to go hat in hand to the minister — whoever he or she may be — as well as the Prime Minister for any major funding. That is why many years ago a bold move was made by a group of concerned citizens to establish a City Caucus which would cut across party lines and bring together major stakeholders both in the public and private sectors, which led to the formation of the now defunct Greater Montego Bay Redevelopment Company (GMRC). That body produced the Greater Montego Bay Redevelopment Plan, which was an ambitious road map towards taking the city into a bold, new direction, but, alas, the then island’s town planner (now deceased) panned the effort, labelling it as merely an “advocacy document”. So much for the Kingston is Jamaica mentality.

Montego Bay now has a young, energetic, visionary mayor in Councillor Richard Vernon, who is willing to think outside the box, but he needs a broad-based level of support to help defy the Kingston is Jamaica cartel that is preventing the western city from shining. What is now unfolding is hodge-podge development planning without much consultation with the general citizenry to the extent that many “bawn a Bay” Montegonians have decided to take a back seat as they feel that the “outsiders” and carpetbaggers have been “capturing” the space.

To put it bluntly, more tourism dollars need to be invested in the western city, for starters.

The crippling traffic nightmare that now plagues the city, for example, is in need of most urgent attention. Almost daily there is gridlock all over the city, which leads to the loss of millions of man-hours as the city helplessly grapples with this vexing situation. And one is not sufficiently convinced that the highly-touted Perimeter Road will solve this nerve-racking problem. What Hurricane Melissa has done, in fact, is to lay bare the insidious urban decay that is plaguing the island’s tourism capital.

Another bugbear that needs to be addressed is the area of sports and the arts. Hurricane Melissa wrecked what was already a dilapidated Montego Bay Sport Centre, while a decrepit Jarrett Park has been used as a last resort. It is an absolute shame and disgrace that the island’s tourism capital does not have a multipurpose sports and entertainment facility as has been touted by Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Jason Russell.

In the meantime, with the debacle of Fairfield Theatre and the demise of its operating body — Montego Bay Little Theatre Movement — the city neither has a functioning theatre or performing arts centre, which perhaps makes us the only prominent city in the world that is lacking these important and well-needed facilities.

And so, among my wish list of items is that Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness and Minister of Sports, Culture and Entertainment Olivia “Babsy” Grange begin to seriously address these burning issues in 2026. Hurricane Melissa has been a wake-up call and we ignore this to our peril in the long run. Food and shelter alone cannot be the top priorities. In fact, the Holness Administration should pay greater attention to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and apply that formula to its “building back better” agenda, which include self-esteem and self-actualisation that will help to create a more useful and happy citizenry that will be inspired to have a greater level of civic pride and patriotism.

And, by the way, whatever happened to the planned Hip Strip development which includes the Jimmy Cliff Boulevard? Waiting on Kingston, as usual?

It is my hope that at least one of these wishes will be fully realised in 2026, a year that should not only be blessed with prosperity, but positivity. I wish my readers all a happy, safe and successful 2026. Let’s do it!

Lloyd B Smith has been involved full-time in Jamaican media for the past 50 years. He has also served as a Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He hails from western Jamaica where he is popularly known as the governor. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or lbsmith4@gmail.com.

Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon (Philp Lemonte)