Civil Municipal Magazine - Dec 2023

233 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 12 CLARENDON, JAMAICA that plans are underway for expansion of the May Pen Hospital and the construction of state-of-the-art health centers throughout the community. Additionally, the Chapelton Hospital is set to undergo further expansion, following a US 2 million rehabilitation work recently. Mayor Maragh notes that other contributions to the local economy include annual events like the agricultural show at Denbigh, which showcases the agricultural prowess of the region. “That’s a three day event, and we have people coming from all over the island with their agricultural produce to show off,” he describes. “We try to work with the Jamaica Agricultural Society, who owns the property, to see how we can further expand that by doing some other things for the days that the property is there idle.” Fast car racing at venues like Vernamfield and Woodleigh racetracks add a thrilling dimension to the parish’s recreational offerings, and are a valuable economic contributor, along with the continued presence of operational distilleries like Monymusk and New Yarmouth. Ongoing Tourism Potential While Clarendon embraces economic diversification, it also recognizes the untapped potential of tourism. Blake acknowledges, “As a parish, based on the change in our economy, we are looking at other areas of development. We have completed a Local Sustainable Development Plan, and one of the areas that we’re looking to maximise on is tourism. We’re excited about that.” The goal is to differentiate the parish from the rest of the island, putting the focus on nature and community based tourism. The Milk River Bath, a world-renowned spa, anchors the parish’s offerings. “The corporation along with our partners, have also started to develop other areas within the parish for tourism, one such is Salt River Spa, which is now very popular. We have numerous visitors coming to that area daily. The corporation at this time, is working with the community of Salt River to further develop that area,” Blake recounts. Other attractions include the Portland Bight Protected Area, which is the largest protected wetlands in Jamaica. It is also