‘Hold our feet to the fire’

WESTERN BUREAU:

“We are not here to cut a ribbon and disappear. If we fall short, I want the people of Westmoreland to hold our feet to the fire.”

That was the unequivocal message from Jamaica-born architect Gordon Gill, who returned to the island recently to address residents of Savanna-la-Mar and nearby communities about Paradise Park, a proposed carbon-efficient resort in Westmoreland that has sparked both hope and hard questions.

During a packed town hall meeting last week, locals praised the project’s ambitions but were unafraid to challenge the developers on environmental integrity, infrastructure demands, and authentic community integration.

Gill, whose firm has designed globally recognised landmarks from Dubai to New York, emphasised that Paradise Park will not only adhere to the highest sustainability standards, but that the people who live around it will also shape it.

“We welcome this level of scrutiny,” Gill told the room of attendees. “Because, if we say this is the Caribbean’s most ecological resort, then we better mean it, from the mangroves to the schools to the jobs.”

Dr Carlton Campbell, who led the project’s two-year environmental impact assessment (EIA), walked attendees through key findings: the resort will be constructed on less than four per cent of the 420-acre property, preserving wetlands, forests, and sensitive marine areas. Coastal works will use phased sediment controls, and ecological monitoring will continue long after completion.

“This wasn’t a paper study,” said Campbell. “We collected field data for two years, mapped biodiversity corridors, studied water tables, and adapted the development footprint accordingly.”

Still, many attendees voiced concerns that went beyond engineering and compliance.

Moses Chybar, president of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce, raised the issue of local procurement.

“There will be hundreds of jobs and supply contracts. We need to start preparing now, not when the gates open,” he said. “Don’t outsource our opportunity. We have builders, farmers, chefs, and craftspeople right here.”

Gill acknowledged the concern and responded directly.

“We’re not here to fly in a design and fly out the benefits. Let’s meet. You tell us what’s available locally and we’ll design around that.”

George Wright, member of parliament for Westmoreland Central, welcomed the project but pressed for a clearer start date.

“When will ground break?” he asked.

Campbell explained that, once the National Environment and Planning Agency’s (NEPA) feedback and building approvals are complete, expected in three to four months, construction should begin. The timeline from groundbreaking to completion is estimated at 36 months.

Local artist Dana Baugh urged deeper integration of Westmoreland’s creative community.

“Give us more than just a token display,” she said. “Let our art, our pottery, our music be embedded in the experience, not a footnote.”

COLLABORATIVE EFFORT

Gill agreed and invited Baugh and others to collaborate from the conceptual stage.

“You’re not the cherry on top,” he said. “You’re the flavour.”

A second-year UWI geography student questioned the project’s safety on Westmoreland’s karst terrain. “We need assurance that sinkholes and groundwater won’t be compromised,” he said.

Campbell confirmed that geological assessments had been completed and that all construction would follow strict geotechnical guidelines. Meanwhile, a local teacher requested that schools be given access to environmental data and invited the developers to conduct workshops for students.

Gill did not hesitate.

“We’d be honoured. Education is part of sustainability too.”

One of the evening’s most inspired suggestions came from Baugh who proposed an underwater sculpture park, merging marine protection with cultural storytelling.

Gill’s eyes lit up.

“That’s not just feasible, that’s fantastic,” he said. “Let’s design it together.”

The most sobering words came from Wolde Kristo, president of the Bluefields Bay Fishermen’s Friendly Society and a long-time conservationist.

“We’ve fought hard to bring marine life back to Bluefields Bay,” he said. “Dredging, even with barriers, is disruptive. If you get this wrong, there’s no undoing it.”

Campbell assured Kristo that the marine works would be minimal, with protections for coral and juvenile fish habitats built into the plan.

As the session closed, Gill reinforced his belief that Paradise Park represents not just a resort, but a responsibility

“This project has to be held to a higher standard,” he said. “By you. By us. Because this is your home. And mine.”

Whether it becomes a beacon of sustainable tourism or a cautionary tale of missed opportunity will depend not only on plans, but on promises kept, and a community unwilling to stay silent.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com