Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
SPANISH TOWN residents will soon have a new cemetery and a shopping arcade as part of the ongoing, upgrading effort by the St. Catherine Parish Council.
The cemetery, to be built on Hill Run, near the salt factory, will provide an alternative for the residents who have had to bury their dead elsewhere since the closure of the Number Five Cemetery some five years ago.
That overcrowded cemetery has been condemned. It is considered to be a haven for criminals and a regular meeting place for couples.
"... What we want is a cemetery so Spanish Town people don't have to migrate to Church Pen or Dovecot," Michael Morris, Secretary Manager of the St. Catherine Parish Council, told The Sunday Gleaner.
According to Mr. Morris, part of the land that the Parish Council is eyeing for the new project, is divided by the Highway 2000 but he quickly pointed out that it will not be a setback.
Spanish Town has been on the edge with the frequent running gun battles between gangs, plus the problem extortion which is costing millions of dollars worth of losses, according to Rudolph Green, president of the Spanish Town Chamber of Commerce.
According to Morris, the cemetery will have a company that will manage the day-to-day affairs to guarantee a smooth operation.
"We are looking for reputable persons and certain systems will be put in place to make sure that accountability is there," he said.
NO EXTORTION
And, according to the Mayor of Spanish Town, Dr. Raymoth Notice, "Extortion has been accepted by a lot of people in Spanish Town. They remain quiet, complacent and they support these persons. But I don't want to know of it because I won't be supporting it."
The tough-talking mayor said he will ensure that the extortion racket does not spread to local government.
In September of 2000, the then mayor, Owen Stephenson, boasted of a joint venture with Consortium Construction Limited, an American company, based in Fort Lauderdale, to build the cemetery and an arcade.
The deal fell through and according to Dr. Notice, "It was refused by the ministry, it was turned down."
But Mr. Morris said that a lot will depend on what the bidders bring to the table this time around.
"Those who were before came with quite a healthy sum and it will depend on what the individuals come with," he said.
There is also an effort to build a two-storey arcade to facilitate about 1,000 clothes vendors on the Redemption Ground area.
"The arcade is going to alleviate the traffic problems and the overcrowding within the town," said Dr. Notice. "We are going to have discussions with them (vendors) so they can be a part of the change and give advice to the developers as to how they would love things to be."
"We are inviting all proposals to see which is best and would fit the vendors," said Morris. "It's not too much like big shops, maybe something like the Pearnel Charles Arcade or the one on Constant Spring Road. The vendors shouldn't have a problem relocating. We had a meeting with them a year ago and they had no problems."
