MONTEGO BAY, St James — With fond memories of late founder Gordon “Butch” Stewart enjoying a game of dominoes on the beach, it was an easy decision for Sandals Resorts to rehabilitate a building at Whitehouse Fishing Village.

Constructed in the 1980s, the building fell into a state of disrepair and was further damaged by last October’s Hurricane Melissa, leaving much of it unusable. On Friday the renovated structure was officially handed over to the 40 fishers who use it.

“We are elated, we are very grateful because, as you know, we have just gone through Hurricane Melissa and who Melissa didn’t affect negatively is not living in Jamaica,” vice-president of Whitehouse Fishers’ Association Audley Porter told the Jamaica Observer.

“This will enhance our lives because here we have our radio which can help us if someone is broken down at sea,” he said.

The refurbished space will accommodate an office as well as an area for the dive compressor used to fill air tanks.

“I hope this will boost morale, knowing that we [are] not just saying we are fishers but we have a place to show that this is where we operate from, this is our base,” Porter said.

Vice-president of Whitehouse Fishers’ Association Audley Porter (right) explains the construction of fish pots to regional director of Sandals Resort International in Jamaica Jeremy Jones during Friday’s official handover of the rehabilitated Whitehouse Fishers’ Association Building.

“We are also looking to add some kind of first aid facility. In case someone’s sick they can run in and they can get first aid help, and so this will impact in days and lives to come,” he added.

Porter could not hide his gratitude during the handover of the renovated facility.

“With this renovation, it will make life easier,” Porter stated.

Work focused on the front of the building but regional managing director for Sandals Resorts International in Jamaica Jeremy Jones said his team intends to do more.

“There are still some issues here that need to be corrected and we’ll just be taking our time to fix it, a little at a time, as we go along,” he said.

“This is a long-term plan because our founder, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, used to be very comfortable here. He actually built a little location here where everybody could sit down and play dominoes. We have rehabilitated that and put some furniture there,” Jones explained.

The late Sandals founder Gordon “Butch” Stewart enjoyed a game of dominoes on the beach which houses the Whitehouse Fishing Village.

The hotel executive said supporting the project was an easy decision.

“It’s just a part of us to give back… When this hotel at Sandals Montego Bay opened in 1981, the Whitehouse Fishing Village and the community welcomed us as family, so you need to treat your family well,” he said.

“We’ve been here a long time and we are going to be here to stay because it’s a very welcoming community, one of the nicest communities of fishers you’re going to find anywhere around, so we are just comfortable here,” Jones added.

He said Sandals is extending its support to other areas in the neighbourhood.

“We are going to do some work on the football field because it’s a nice community. The hotel uses the field, where possible, to play their six-a-side tournaments so it’s just a part of what we do,” Jones said.

“We have some work planned already for the community centre. There is some work going on now by the community but there is also support coming from Sandals moving forward with that as well,” he added.