The Half Way Tree Transportation Centre - A fi wi! We mus tek care ah it.

I am a bit late on this note but must commend the Jamaican government, both current and previous for the new Transportation Centre in Half Way Tree. The $4.7-billion, double-level centre has passenger holding areas and several bus bays. The facility also boasts 17 commercial shops; a 900-foot food court; four commercial kiosks; 17 public toilets with two equipped for the disabled; an office building to accommodate staff from the Jamaica Urban Transit Company, and an office for officials from the Port Authority of Jamaica, which will be managing the terminal. I am also very pleased to hear of their plans to construct a similar centre Downtown.

The centre sounds beautiful and the service appears to be online to meeting some very high standards. I sincerely, hope that this high quality in both the physical appearance and service is maintained. Yet the challenge of this has already begun less than a week after its opening. The ubiquitous sidewalk vendors are already encroaching on the premises. We all know what this type of unregulated commerce can do to a place and it should not be tolerated. I remember when Mandela Park was opened in Half Way Tree. It was beautiful with the fountain and cool shaded spots in the park. It was a pleasure to walk through the park on my way to school at St. Andrew High, just down the road. My cousins and I spent many evenings and Christmas eves hanging out there and it was clean and safe. Not too long after vendors took up residence and the criminal elements soon followed. The park reeked with garbage, urine, criminals and bothersome vendors. The one retreat for young people like myself was lost. We should not allow that to happen again. Jamaica, this is what your money bought you. It is ours, take care of it and help the authorities to enforce the no-vending regulations by boycotting these undisciplined individuals.

My other concern is why weren’t the concessionary stands opened at the same time as the center? I think some foresight and diligence in planning would have avoided the center being opened and operating at a loss with subsequent subsidies in revenue by government. Get your act together Jamaica. We can’t afford to keep funding inefficient operations. Air Jamaica, JUTC and the Sugar Industry are already too much.

On a nostalgic and optimistic note I hope the Mandela Park green space and the park Downtown will also be returned to their former glory as part of the effort of urban renewal and development. I think green spaces like these parks and public services like the transportation centre contribute to a more peaceful country by providing outlets for stress reduction and removing hassles in the conduct of what should be routine business. These are worthy investments.