UDC SECURES BELMONT PROPERTY IN ST ANN The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) has moved to secure and enhance the 3.4 acres property in Belmont, Ocho Rios, St. Ann which is sometimes referred to as Little Dunn’s River. This involves temporary closure of the facility, fencing and ensuring that the amenities required for health, safety and comfort of visitors are in place. The Belmont property is being used without the authorization of the UDC and has become a source of complaint from the wider community. The property has no provision for insurance coverage or proper sanitary conveniences and its current operation conflicts with the best practices within the tourism and hospitality sector. The move to address the conditions of the property is geared at protecting Brand Jamaica generally and the ‘Ocho Rios experience’ in particular, by implementing a proper management framework. This framework will place emphasis on sustaining the ecology of the area and harnessing socio-economic benefits for the residents. -more- The UDC has employed a multi-stakeholder concept for the phased development of the property. In phase 1, the UDC has conducted a sensitization and enumeration exercise with the vendors in the area, secured the property and will be conducting the necessary topographic survey, planning and designing for the requisite infrastructure. Phase 2 will see the upgrading of the beach and the creation of a board walk for safer access to the falls, as access is currently gained by traversing the steep and sometimes slippery terrain. Sanitary conveniences, parking and other amenities which are pre-requisites to obtaining the licences and approvals from agencies inclusive of National Environment Planning Agency (NEPA) and the St Ann Parish Council, will also be implemented. Once this standard has been attained, then the facilities will be made available to the public. In step with the physical activities, is the sensitization of the current unauthorized operators to the plans for the beach as well as the standards, training and certification of personnel which must be in place to operate such a public facility. The UDC is working to ensure that the interests of all major stakeholders are represented in the future planning/development activities for the site. The Corporation, through the St. Ann Development Company, operates licensed public beaches at Ocho Rios Bay Beach and Dunn’s River in that parish.
Posted on: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 22:34:41 +0000
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