MONTEGO BAY, St James — The way has now been paved for infrastructural upgrades to Bogue Industrial Estate in Montego Bay with Thursday’s signing of an $84-million contract between the St James Municipal Corporation and Odel Allen Construction.

Work will begin on July 2 and is expected to last six months, after which the land will be offered for sale to current occupants.

“Several years ago, we met with them [current occupants] and we presented to them the opportunity for us to work out, in an amicable way, the settlement of the properties. They put it to us, at the time, that we had to put the infrastructure in place before they signed any agreement moving forward,” Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon said during the contract signing.

He outlined the scope of work that will be done, stressing that they were in line with the typical requirements for any subdivision.

“We have to put in the requisite infrastructure and, of course, light and water. Those are some of the infrastructure that we…have to ensure are in the development before it can be approved as a fit development and before they can get the certificate of compliance — and this also includes the fire hydrants and so forth,” said Vernon.

Informally known as Bogue Lands, the property has long been a source of tension, with strong political undertones across successive Administrations. At the heart of the issue are 26 commercial lots which have been occupied by business operators since around 2003. They have long insisted that they are not squatters and they have pumped significant investment into the area. There have been vigorous negotiations as the local authority attempts to regularise their status by giving them first right of refusal when the land is offered for sale.

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“Today I’m happy that we have identified the money; and more than identify the money, we have identified the contractor who will be undertaking the infrastructural upgrade for the entire Bogue Industrial Estate. As soon as we have completed the upgrade we will commence the sale agreement with the occupiers,” Vernon said.

He described it as a “historic moment” for the city of Montego Bay.

Funds generated from the sale of the five-hectare property will shore up the coffers of the St James Municipal Corporation and help fund vital projects such as the repair of the Old Shoe Arcade.

“We’ll be doing a new valuation after we have completed the infrastructural upgrade,” said the mayor.

He said based on the agreements in place, they are not expecting any other challenges, especially after getting approval from the then Contractor General’s office — now the Integrity Commission — for the land to be sold at market value.

“We’re not predicting pushback, but it is possible. What we are doing is ensuring that we’re doing things the right way so that legally we are executing what we are supposed to execute; and even if there’s a pushback, we can defend ourselves in the court of law,” the mayor said.