Jamaica has submitted a much narrower dossier to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in a bid to get the historic town of Port Royal in eastern Kingston declared a World Heritage Site.

The Minister of Culture, Olivia Grange, explained that the previous nomination included all the historic periods around Port Royal – the 17th century, 18th century and 19th century “and so it was deferred”.

Grange provided the update while answering questions from the Member of Parliament for East Kingston and Port Royal, Phillip Paulwell during last week’s sitting of the Standing Finance Committee that examined the 2023/24 budget.

Port Royal was once described as the wickedest city on earth during the time of the pirate Henry Morgan before it was struck by the devastating earthquake of 1692 which sunk up to two-thirds of the town.

Grange said a member of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) recently visited UNESCO headquarters in Paris with the updated nomination that now centres on the 17th century only, with the earthquake and the sunken city as well as the remaining portion on land, as the centre piece of the nomination.

“We’re awaiting their feedback,” Grange said.

She said the submitted dossier included heritage impact assessment, which assesses the environmental impact on the underwater archaeological remains from cruise ships and its direct and indirect impact on the property.

It also included a preservation plan to protect all sites of historical and archaeological significance within the national heritage site and a disaster risk plan to not only prepare the site to reduce the disaster risk but to respond to emergencies and recuperate from any disaster.

The culture minister said the JNHT has adjusted the boundaries of the site to include the 51 acres as its core and a buffer that provides protection for the 51 acres on land and underwater.

She explained further that after a nomination is submitted, the process of review usually lasts a year during which there will be site visits to Port Royal by the evaluators for further clarification and discussion before the site is placed before the UNESCO World Heritage Committee which comprises 21 members, for inscription.

Grange told the committee that to date, Jamaica has received “good support” from several countries including Netherlands, Mexico, Canada and Japan.

Additionally, six divers were trained, including four women who are now capable of diving underwater to check on the condition of the sunken city. The minister said an effort is now underway to clear away the silt from the sunken city which has largely remained intact the way it went down nearly 331 years ago on June 7, 1692.

With Port Royal now a cruise ship destination, the Government will be looking to not only develop underwater diving at the sunken city but to also ensure it is visible by persons sailing over it.

And Grange said that Fort James which was thought to have been destroyed by the earthquake is in fact intact. She noted that Port Royal has been described as the third most important of such sites in the world.