THE EDITOR, Sir:
I HAVE seen in the press recently, an article that the Government is about to sign an agreement with some foreign investors for the development of a major oil refinery and petrochemical facility on the Luana property in St. Elizabeth.
The Luana property must be in excess
of 2,500 acres and has some of the best beaches in Jamaica, hidden away on the south coast, and it also has crystal clear deep water which could accommodate cruise ships and the whole area is environmen-tally pristine and ecologically unique.
For years now, tourism agencies and other tourism interests have been planning and looking at Luana as the new frontier of tourism on our south coast. Now it seems that plans have been made, and up to now away from public view, for the establishment on these lands of an oil refinery!
The U.S.A., as a matter of policy, promotes off-shore rather than on-shore oil and petrochemical facilities, and for very good environmental reasons, although the U.S.A is a non-signatory to the Kyoto Protocol. So why are we inviting this development, particularly on lands that have vast tourism potential?
QUESTIONS
Many questions have to be asked with regard to the proposed petrochemical project. How many acres of the 2500+ acres are they proposing to utilise and where? Surely, there is no contemplation of more than 200 or 300 acres. I note also that as a Free Zone, the project will pay no local costs and taxes. How many jobs for locals will be created? I suspect just a fraction of the jobs, direct or indirect, that the area would produce if developed in stages as a planned tourism resort, including hotels, villas, marinas, cruise ship terminals, recreational and entertainment facilities and all the attendant housing and infrastructure works. Tourism development would also ensure the viability of a south coast airport.
The article I read mentioned a Mr. Lewson. I think in 1987 in New York, Mr. Manley then Leader of the Opposition and I negotiated with Tramel Crowe and the president of the Wyndham at that time, for the Wyndham hotel group to come into Jamaica if the PNP won the pending
election. I have to say that I cannot recall
the name 'Lewson' at any stage of the
negotiations and certainly not after I became minister of tourism.
I am greatly concerned as to the need and suitability of this oil and petrochemical facility, and hope that the various tourism agencies and those involved in the sector will make their views heard, one way or the other, as a matter of urgency.
I am, etc.,
FRANK PRINGLE
P.O Box 42
Montego Bay
