TEF asks for public opinion on Pagee Beach upgrade

In a new phase of its beaches upgrades project, the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) is requesting the public’s feedback on the development of Pagee Beach in St Mary.

In a recent post on its official Twitter page, the government-owned tourism agency explained that persons who wish to share their opinion on the beach transformation project may complete an online survey.

A link to the survey is listed in the post.

This public consultation appeal is the second attempt by TEF to consider the concerns and requests of members of the public and visitors to the area in the beach transformation project.

In October 2022, the agency hosted a town hall meeting with residents and local government officials to better understand the growing concerns about the long-awaited beach upgrade.

A long-awaited upgrade

The Pagee Beach redevelopment was first the responsibility of government agency, the Tourism Product Development Company.

These plans date back to 2015.

In 2020, the TEF adopted the project and outlined plans to finance the building of changing rooms, bathrooms, gazebos, lifeguard huts, a restaurant, bars, commercial shops, waste water treatment plant, and a parking lot on the beach property.

The transformation project serves as part of a larger redevelopment programme for Jamaica’s public beaches being spearheaded by TEF.

In a 2021 Jamaica Gleaner news report, the executive director of TEF, Dr Carey Wallace said the agency will finance the transformation of several public beaches on the island over a three-year period.

The other public beaches include Watson Taylor Park in Hanover; Success, St James; Priory, St.Ann; Rio Nuevo, St Mary; Murdock Beach, St Mary; Winnifred Beach, Portland; Rocky Point, St Thomas; Guts River, Manchester; Alligator Pond, St Elizabeth and Crane Road in St Elizabeth.

“Any development we make on our natural resources, we want to ensure that it continues to place Jamaica in that top echelon of the best in the world anywhere.

"So, we ensure it’s well planned, all of the factors are considered… to ensure a sustainable success story from the beaches that we develop,” Wallace told the Jamaica Gleaner.