Road leading to Christmas Rebellion launch site to be repaired soon, says Morgan

WESTERN BUREAU:

Residents of Kensington, Tulloch Castle, and surrounding communities in St James may soon get a freshly repaired roadway in response to their longstanding calls for a fix to the dilapidated road conditions leading to the historical site where National Hero Samuel Sharpe’s Christmas Rebellion was sparked in 1831.

Robert Morgan, the minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for information, hinted at the upcoming development while speaking on a number of other infrastructure plans to impact the area, during his keynote address at Wednesday evening’s Sam Sharpe Flames of Freedom ceremony and celebratory concert in Tulloch Castle.

“The Prime Minister [Andrew Holness], Minister Homer Davis [the state minister in the Office of the Prime Minister – West], and tourism minister Edmund Bartlett have heard about the road to come here, and as minister of information, I think I am allowed to repeat it. I can tell you that a decision has been made and there will be further announcements about some work to be done on the road heading to this community,” said Morgan.

“They have worked hard to find a way to do some work on the road coming into this community, and that is not a promise, it is a commitment by the Government. Also, you already know that we are going to help out with the Montego Bay perimeter road, which is going to bypass the traffic on Howard Cooke Boulevard. So those of you who go to do business in Montego Bay will have an easier time coming home,” Morgan added, “There are also plans to bring more water to these communities, and that is a commitment that the Government has made. We are not just standing here talking; we are working.”

NETWORK REHABILITATION

The issue of poor road conditions in the Kensington area has been a point of contention for residents from as far back as 2011, as the farming community has not been the bustling tourist attracting that former Member of Parliament Derrick Kellier had promised in 1999 it would become.

At that time, Kellier had announced plans to establish heritage tourism to commemorate the Christmas Rebellion, and to improve the economic well-being of the community. According to him, this endeavour would have included a museum and rehabilitation of the Tulloch Estate house, mill, and trash house.

In addition to the road conditions which remain a headache for motorists to navigate, residents have also demanded a consistent water supply in their pipes.

While he was hesitant to say when the projected road work for Kensington would take place, Morgan said that it is part of the islandwide road network rehabilitation and construction programme that is currently underway.

“We are trying to do a ‘ring road’ around Jamaica, so we have the South Coast Highway which is almost finished. Then we will do Ferris to Mackfield [in Westmoreland], then we will fix the road to come up here, and then do more work on the North Coast Highway,” said Morgan.

Tulloch Castle was the location where a thatch house was set on fire in 1831, serving as the signal for the start of the Christmas Rebellion in which approximately 60,000 enslaved Africans took part.

That act was symbolically re-enacted on Wednesday, as part of the Sam Sharpe Flames of Freedom series of activities held in memory of Samuel Sharpe and other enslaved Africans who were executed in the aftermath of the Christmas Rebellion.

Additionally, Kellier was presented with a citation for his role in spearheading the Flames of Freedom celebration and for his work in the St James Southern constituency during his time as the area’s member of parliament.