Prime Minister Bruce Golding said a new international airport complete with customs and immigration services will be constructed at Duckenfield in Portland, as part of the government’s thrust to diversify the tourism product and take advantage of the value added options in the industry.
He was speaking on Wednesday (Jan. 30) at a Real Estate Symposium hosted by the Realtors Association of Jamaica at the Knustford Court Hotel in Kingston.
Mr. Golding pointed to the importance of getting the ‘right mix’ of products for the industry, and the legislative framework would have to be adjusted to allow for options such as time-share. He said the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and Civil Aviation Authority have been instructed to conduct feasibility studies pursuant to the construction of the airport, while the National Works Agency will look at upgrading and realigning existing roadways where necessary.In the meantime, Mr. Golding said Cabinet has appointed a new Board of Directors for the Natural Resources and Conservation Authority (NRCA) and that at its next sitting, it will be asked to approve the same individuals as members of the board and advisory council of the Town and Country Planning Authority and the National Environment and Planning Agency. This is in keeping with a commitment to streamline the approvals process for development projects.
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i am so happy to hear about the new airport i hope he keep his words. a airport in portland would do good for the parish because i feel like most tourist only hear and knows about montego bay, negril and ochi. there is so much to see in portland on my last visit to jamaica i went there for the first time andwas blown away,portland is a beauty but not many people speak of it. i think all travel agents should start pointing out other places in jamaica when they are ask what area to visit by a tourist or even a born jamaica instead of only those places i’ve mention above.
I am very much pleased about the idea of a Airport for Portland. This Project will certainly put Portland back on the forefront again. I do hope this project become a reality very soon, I am looking forward for the development of this Airport this will help build back the tourism industry in Portland.
Keep this project alive .
Thank you
It is good to see that something will be done in Duckenfield, finally. That part of the island has been neglected and I heard there was talk of secession. I really wished the people had the guts to do that .
I was born in Duckenfield, and it has always been in St. Thomas and it still is. It is not in Portland. Start getting the geography right or there might be a miscalculation of latitude and logitude and the planes might not have a happy landing.( I thought it was only the Americans who did not know their geography!)
You’re right Ady. Last time I checked, Duckenfield was still in St. Thomas (I was born and grew up in St. Thomas). Nevertheless, regardless of where this proposed airport is in Eastern Jamaica, it would be really welcome, and would certainly augur well for the development of tourism there. Eastern Jamaica is wonderful, with the lushness of Portland, and the beautiful coastline and interior of St. Thomas. One of the most exhilarating adventures I used to have as a kid was driving up into the cool mountains of St. Thomas, from Easington, to Ramble, Llandewey and connecting back through Cedar Valley down to Seaforth, etc. On this journey, you would have wonderful views of green hills and valleys, waterfalls, rivers, cool breezes, fruit trees, friendly people. Awesome!
Whereas Ady and Peter may be right about Duckenfield being in St. Thomas, we should remember that many of Jamaica’s parishes have communities with the same names just like the U.S. Therefore, there may just be a Duckenfield in both parishes, if my memory serves me right.
Be this as it may, an airport in Portland would be very welcomed and would certainly add to the attractions of that beautiful parish. It should be hoped though that the facilities of an airport there would not be abused, as have been airstrips in other areas.
Whereas Ady and Peter may be right about Duckenfield being in St. Thomas, we should remember that many of Jamaica’s parishes have communities with the same names just like the U.S. Therefore, there may just be a Duckenfield in both parishes, if my memory serves me right.
Be this as it may, an airport in Portland would be very welcomed and would certainly add to the attractions of that beautiful parish. It should be hoped though that the facilities of an airport there would not be abused, as have been airstrips in other areas.
P.S.: What I mean by same names is: there is a ‘Ramble’ in Hanover, one in St. Catherine, one in St. Thomas, one in St. Ann and yet another in Manchester.
Portland is a well preserved natural environment. Building an airport, while it is a good thing for the movement of people and things, and the possibility of decentralizing the tourist industry to a more ecotourism typology also brings with it the need for infrastructure to support it. This means a heavy impact on the environment and would require due care in the development of its masterplan. The airport in our opinion should strive to be ‘green’ as well as the need to maintain and sustain the character of the place and the things that bring significance to its spaces.
We are certain that our architects here in Jamaica, if given the chance, can provide designs with possible soloutions for this venture.
NO, Portland must be left untouched!! A small island like jamaica doesn’t need another international airport… we have too much moneys to pay back already
a better domestic airdrome is perfect
I agree with joel and my reasons for this are with the worldly trend of sustainable tourism it would be a not so smart move to bring unneeded traffic to the most untouched parish on the island of jamaica. Sure it would be good for the local economy of portland but it would also bring increase auto, air and foot traffic. Factors such as the increase oil run off due to the increased parking and traffic could lead to further contamination of the soil and aquifers of the parish and no one wants to go river rafting on a poluted Rio Grande. With the development of another airport there will be also developments of large and ugly hotels in the partish which would create issues with the natural beauty of the parish. The island of Jamaica is my home and I wont be bias we have one of the worst waste management systems in the world and should be considered when developing such plans to destroy the natural beauty of portland, portland is by far the most naturally beautyful parish of jamaica and there should be plans to keep it that way for interest of future generations to share and not for profit. Adding another international air port will only provide the means to apply mass fallows class, it was the same thin that happened to other isalnds such as Tahiti. In closing here’s a word of advise not all developments are good developments dont look for the short term benefits of having a few hundred more tourist on the island but instead invest in the natural beauty of my homeland. keep in mind that most tourist who visit jamaica do so for the natural beauty of the island and will continue doing so if the natural beauty is still there. Its on a scale of qualiy vs quantity and my grand mada always said invest in quality. A offering of an solution think smaller air hubbs or air taxi services that could possibly do the same work but reduce the environ impacts.
OH i forgort to add tha remember Errol Flynn the actor who was responsible for transforming banana rafting to one of the isalnd must do’s.Yes I’m talking about river rafting on the Grande, which seriously being mis managed but any way Errol Flynn once said that, ” Portland is more beautifull than any woman he as ever seen”. Keep that in mind when you are destroying the natural beauty of jamaica. what jamaica really needs is not another airport but a very strong sense of national pride the kind of pride you discover when you travel overseas, if you have traveled you know what i mean. but a strong sense of national pride will help jamaicans to see beyond capitalism and see the true benefits of eco friendly developments.
I do not think that they should build another airport in Jamaica. I grow up in Portland and left Jamaica since I was 7. When I go home I always visit Portland to see my family. I am even considering moving back there in a couple of years. When you go to the Parish of Portland you the air is different. The Government should continue to improve on the road, to make it safer for visitors. The reason people visit Portland it to see something different than the other tourist part of the Island. Maybe they should advertise more about the visitor seeing the true refreshing island, the purity of the country. Many people love this part of the island. I have bought so many of my friends to the island and travel to Portland, because they always say “we want to see the real Jamaica and the real people” and everyone love Portland the most and each year we continue to travel there. I say leave Portland alone and put the money toward something better, such as education for the children and teaching people trade so that can be equal with the rest of the world.
The idea of having an airport in the eastern side of the island is a very appealing one at first sight. Portland or St. Thomas, they are both in need of developments that can contribute to the job market. I am from Portland, I love my parish. One problem though, I am forced to work in Kingston because the lack of employment opportunities especially for University students. I travel back to Portland every weekend and this is because I feel safe and at home.
While I welcome the the developments in the tourism sector and opportunity for a feasible job, the previous writers have a point. Polution is a main issue,and also for the parish to lose its greenery. Why not further develop the Ken Jones Air strip in St. Margrets Bay?
I am pleased about the idea of a new local airport which would be a wonderful development for the island as travellers can then have the choice of using this airport which would be nearer to their chosen destination rather than use Mo Bay which is quite a long journey. This too would boost tourism.
no the posters were right.. i’m from close to duckenfield in Jamaica, and it is in fact in St. Thomas, but its’ right on the portland border.
I agree with the environmental concerns, but i don’t foresee the airport being busy enough to outweigh the economic benefits that the eastern parishes will recieve
I have just returned from spending a fabulous 6 weeks in Portland. My father is from the west, mother from the east and husband from near Porti!! I love it the way it is but inorder to boost the economy household disposable income needs to increase! Investing in such a lucrative area as tourism has much benefits for the community and the morale of the youngers going to and leaving school! I would love to live there and the prospect of doing so was bleak until talks of the new airport. I would like to be one of us Portland lovers that would actively combat the bad and enhance the good, rather than debate til time ends the pros and cons.
It would be a great investment in st. thomas, because i have some lots up there selling right now.
I was born in kingston, but I grew up in portland jamaica. I think this would great for jamaica and the caribbean. Just do not let tourist or money destroy my beautiful island. And also educate the young people and give them jobs. Preserve the farms and rivers. There is a lot of food and fishes in portland. Let us not get greed, because greed kills and hurt each of us in some way.
It is time for something good to happen to jamaica and the jamaican people. And get rid of negative vibes. Big up Portland people and all of jamaican living in Jamaica and abroad. I would like to fly to and from this Portland airport as soon as possible. Please keep Portland clean and safe, because it is one of the best place on earth. Let us set an example and stay proud being a Jamaican living in Jamaica or wherever we may live.
My family is from St thomas, did anyone mention in the tourist areas how young girls are selling they bodies to white tourists and spreeding Aids? Local Jamaicans don’t received any money from tourism. The tourist areas in Jamaica is horrible, and the hotels turn off the water for the local population and the tourist are racist and only come to have sex with our kids. No If any whites come to St thomas I will kill them. Why don’t those whites stay in US and that white man stop leading Jamaica to hell. We need new election, that ugly white man turn my stomach he want more half breed runing around Jamaica. With nasty white men having sex with our kids no no no no to tourism.