Negril Fruits and Vegetable Market back on track

After a prolonged dispute between the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development and the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC), a path has now been cleared for work to commence on the construction of the highly anticipated Negril Fruits and Vegetable Market.

The dispute, which started with the previous WMC administration that was led by former Mayor Bertel Moore, saw Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie publicly criticising the former mayor and his administration for holding up the approval of the building plan for the market, which architects from his central ministry had reportedly prepared and submitted for approval.

“We will now notify the Ministry of Local Government that the WMC has approved the plan, and we are expecting funding now for the implementation of this facility,” said Andre Griffiths, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the WMC, at last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the corporation.

Desmond McKenzie (centre), minister of local government and community development, is surrounded by a team of technical experts, examining the plans for the Negril Fruits and Vegetables market in Westmoreland in 2022. Others in photo from are Wray Mullings, structural engineer in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development; Ava Murdock, superintendent of roads and works at the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation and Dwight Wilson, chief technical director in the local government ministry.

“Before coming here (WMC), there was much fanfare about the plans being submitted for approval. However, I realised that that was not the case, so I basically monitored that application directly,” said Griffiths.