Minister of National Security, the Honourable Dr. Horace Chang, today announced the start of construction for the much-anticipated Port Maria Police Station in St. Mary. The new building is valued at approximately 250 million dollars and will also house the headquarters for Area 2, which encompasses the parishes of St. Mary, St. Ann and Portland.
The police facility is funded by the National Housing Trust (NHT), in keeping with a mandate to build and repair police stations within 10 miles of NHT housing schemes. The Port Maria Police Station is in proximity to the Frontier and Tryall housing developments.
Minister Chang, during his address at a ceremony in Port Maria, said several challenges including land acquisition hindered the facility’s construction – which was slated to begin in 2018. He said despite the setback, the Government of Jamaica (GoJ) is committed to enhancing infrastructure for the enablement of the security forces and the overall national security architecture.
“We are providing officers with tools such as non-lethal weapons and modern technology to expand the security force’s crime-fighting capacity. I am confident that once the officers are given the right tools and better working conditions, they will be more efficient in carrying out their duties,” said Minister Chang.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, during his address said the construction of a new facility will symbolize and foster a strengthened relationship between citizens and the police.
“We are working to fix a problem,” the commissioner said, noting that the new police facility is part of a “wider plan to deliver quality policing that ensures law enforcement.”
The Port Maria Police Station is one of 60 stations targeted for improvement and/or construction for the fiscal year 2019-2020, under the Project Rebuild, Overhaul and Construct (P-R.O.C). The police facility is expected to be completed by December 2022.
