MoBay mayor promises better security for Jimmy Cliff Boulevard under BID
Published:Monday | February 17, 2025 | 9:55 AM
WESTERN BUREAU:
Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon has given an assurance that steps will be taken to improve the security along Jimmy Cliff Boulevard, in the St James capital, amid concerns about poor lighting and criminals preying on locals and foreigners along the popular strip.
Vernon, who was speaking at the recent inaugural city hall meeting, in Montego Bay, which was staged to discuss issues impacting the tourism capital, said the area, formerly known as the ‘Hip Strip’, is to be transformed into a business improvement district (BID).
“In terms of the Jimmy Cliff Boulevard area, recently we opened up a conversation about it being a BID, where the operators within the space become critical stakeholders in the governance framework of that district. We have focused our approach on security, infrastructure management, waste management, and several other areas of development,” said Vernon.
“Security is one of the main components of the BID, and this came out of a meeting that we had with some of the nightclub operators and entertainment stakeholders within the space. They raised the concern that they need parking along the Hip Strip area, and also that they need more security within the space that will work up to a certain hour,” continued Vernon.
“We will have a progressive conversation with the operators within that space, so that we can ensure that the necessary things are put in place for safety and security right along the strip and across Montego Bay.”
Vernon was responding to a concern raised by former Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) President Horace Peterkin, who was held up and seriously injured by robbers along Jimmy Cliff Boulevard in April last year.
“On April 2, 2024, I was almost murdered at the Old Hospital Park [on the boulevard], and since my mugging, five other people have been attacked. The tourism officials have done a brilliant job promoting the Hip Strip, but it is still extremely dangerous,” said Peterkin. “I have complained several times to different officials, and I am so fed up that I have decided to raise funds to install lights myself, because six well-placed modern solar lights can light up the place for 12 hours, at no cost.”
Plans were previously announced in January this year for the development of a BID within the Jimmy Cliff Boulevard space. At that time, it was reported that the legal framework for the BID is to be finalised,and approval sought from the Ministry of Local Government.
Prior to the BID announcement, there have been recurring reports of robberies taking place along the boulevard, including an incident in 2019 when gunmen carried out a daring daylight robbery of employees and shoppers, locals and foreigners, at the Spice World Supermarket.
In looking at the strategies for making the boulevard safer, Vernon said the security plans for the popular hang-out spot for visitors seeking to be entertained must include proper allocation of resources.
“We have businesses operating in that space up until 4 a.m., so therefore we have to look at how you add or reallocate resources, including human resources, to man the area for that time. It is a fact that many of these operators have had to hire private security to help with managing the space, but we believe that the BID will help us to properly address some of these concerns within the area,” said Vernon.