Tourism feasibility study for the south coast

By Damion Mitchell, Freelance Writer

PORUS, Manchester

OVER A six-month period, the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) will be implementing a feasibility study to be carried out by a firm of local and international consultants to define the elements of three investment projects on the south coast and to determine their technical, social and financial viability. The study will be conducted with funds in the amount of US$600,000 made available through a multi-sectorial pre-investment loan programme of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) which has in the past financed a 14-month study of the physical and socio-economics characteristics of the south coast.

This was disclosed by Karen Findlay, manager of public relations and promotions at the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).

Development

The investment project will focus on Tourism Development including nature, heritage and community-based development and Fisheries Management with specific focus on Fisheries Resource Management and Infrastructural Improvement for selected fish landing sites, as well as Protected Areas Management which involves plans for sustainable management and operation of selected protected sites within the study area.

The South Coast Sustainable Development Project is facilitating the development of Jamaica's south coast, specifically the areas spanning Hellshire in St. Catherine to Little London in Westmoreland. The development which is a project of the Government of Jamaica and the IDB, is now in its second phase.

Through the resort board, since the start of the financial year improvement work has been carried out on facades and sanitary facilities at Scotts Cove while maintenance is being carried out to round-abouts in Middle Quarters, New Green, Greenvale, Crane Road and Sandy Ground, while there are plans for a nature trail to be established at the Lovers Leap Lighthouse.

Presently, the community of Accompong in St. Elizabeth is being transformed into a tourist attraction with community members being trained under the Team Jamaica Programme.

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