A long-ignored gem finally being polished; The beauty of Port Royal – Part 1

BY WAZARI JOHNSON

Once regarded as the wickedest city in the western hemisphere, modern Port Royal is far from that. Some have said that it is the most peaceful community in the corporate area of Kingston and St. Andrew. It is so peaceful; I felt completely comfortable sleeping in the open air on the beach until morning. I have never done that anywhere else in Jamaica.

Port Royal has been my favorite spot in the corporate area for years now. I have gone there to soak up its history (as I am a major history buff). I have gone for sightseeing, long walks along its beaches. One of my favorite activities is collecting seashells and other objects that wash up out of the sea.

I love the laid-back vibe of this historic town, but I have always felt that Port Royal’s potential was never fully tapped into. I believe Port Royal if utilized the right way can garner significant economic advantages, not only for its residents and the corporate area but also for Jamaica as a whole.

Recently Port Royal welcomed its first cruise ship, the Marella Discovery II, on Monday January 20^th, 2020. This has been in the works for a long time. Robert Stephens (Director of the Port Royal Development Company) has done significant work in researching and planning the way forward for this iconic and historic village.

He expressed his misgivings about the recent efforts in Port Royal and outlined how this current project differed from his vision for Port Royal. He stated, “The infrastructure of Port Royal including upgrading the facilities for the entire town, new housing, upgrading the school, a Type 3 health center and modern police station were all a part of our plan to upgrade the town of Port Royal.”

“Funding for the entire development was to be provided by private sector investors who would put up the majority of the funds for the entire development. The GOJ would repay the investment for the public facilities over 10 years. The people owning their own homes (via a partnership between the private investors) and the National Housing Trust would provide mortgages to the residents.”

I can see much merit in the concerns that he has expressed. For too long the “ordinary” people of Jamaica have been cut out of the major benefits that tourism brings to our island, and their capacity to significantly earn from this sector has been greatly hindered. Tourism is the largest contributor to the Jamaican economy, providing direct employment to about 75,000 people.

Can you imagine how many more jobs would be created if community-based tourism was not hindered as it currently is in Jamaica? People would be empowered to create their own jobs and jobs for many other Jamaicans.

The impact of the recent cruise ship visit would have been greater if the entire village was properly prepared for it, and the members of the community were made significant stakeholders in the venture.

The government has to do more to develop community tourism, as it is a promising aspect of tourism in Jamaica. It focuses on introducing the art, culture and history of Jamaica to both visitors and locals. This kind of experience differs from the resort type vacation, as it offers an educational and enriching experience.

I must though pause at this juncture to acknowledge the efforts of our current government, because they actually got the project going and things off the ground. The Tourism Minister (Honorable Edmund Bartlett) was elated about the visit of this first cruise ship to the floating dock. He outlined that it was a historic day for the country, which should bring many economic benefits. “Port Royal is a destination that we have longed to build out and I am very proud of the work done by: the Port Authority, the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Ministry of Tourism, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), Local Government, the Kingston, St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), and the many other partners, to create this new port.”

“The historic arrangement in Port Royal will augur well for us, as it will break new ground, in terms of technology assisting in the disembarkation of cruise passengers,” he further added. What he also did was state that his administration has a more comprehensive plan for the entire village of Port Royal, so there is the hope that what Robert Stephens wanted to see realized is still a possibility.

Minister Bartlett shared that the Government will be building out the cultural assets in Port Royal, which will offer economic benefits to the residents there. “Port Royal has the greatest potential in the Caribbean of being a real world-class destination. We are committed to building that out, and to complete the arrangement, so that it will become a ‘must’ on any itinerary for cruise shipping in the Caribbean.”

Port Royal is finally getting a chance to thrive, in part two of this series, I am going to share components that will greatly impact this thrust to enhance Port Royal and make it one of the best tourism products in the world.