Newly Rehabilitated Roadway in St. Mary to Boost Heritage Tourism and Community Development

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the rehabilitated Fontabelle to Geddes Town Road in St. Mary will help diversify Jamaica’s tourism product by improving access to key heritage and eco-tourism attractions, while also creating greater economic opportunities for surrounding communities.

Speaking during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Geddes Town Square to mark the official opening of the roadway on May 29, Mr. Bartlett noted that the $27.5-million rehabilitation project—financed by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF)—is part of efforts to expand tourism beyond traditional resort areas and strengthen community participation in the sector.

He pointed out that the corridor serves as a vital link to Sun Valley Plantation and the historic Tamarind Great House, both of which provide visitors with authentic Jamaican cultural and heritage experiences.

“Sun Valley Plantation… is not simply a farm. It is a living, breathing testament of Jamaica’s agricultural heritage, a place where visitors, Jamaicans and foreigners alike, can connect with the land, understand where food comes from, and experience the tradition and rhythm of rural Jamaican life,” the Minister said.

“This road does not stop at the [Sun Valley] Plantation gates; it also leads to the historic Tamarind Great House, layering yet another dimension of cultural and historical richness onto what this destination has to offer. So together, these two sites make a corridor… one of the most compelling traditional tourism experiences in the parish,” he added.

The upgraded roadway is expected to benefit residents of Geddes Town, Hunts Town, Free Hill, Bonny Gate, and other neighboring communities.

Mr. Bartlett explained that the project aligns with a transformative framework for the tourism sector known as ‘Tourism 3.0’, which aims to reposition tourism from a model centered primarily on visitor arrivals and room stock to a broader platform for national development.

The initiative is designed to retain more tourism earnings within the local economy by promoting greater local ownership, strengthening supply chains, and expanding linkages with sectors such as agriculture and entertainment.

Underscoring the importance of heritage and cultural attractions, Minister Bartlett emphasised that these experiences help to authenticate Jamaica’s tourism product and create lasting memories for visitors.

“They are what authenticate the visit of the millions of people who come to Jamaica [along with] the indelible memory and the physical manifestation of the creative expressions of the people of Jamaica,” he said.