Section of highway in St Thomas named in honour of Paul Bogle

A section of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP) in St Thomas was officially named the Paul Bogle Highway during a ceremony held at the Morant Bay Roundabout on Thursday.

The event, hosted by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, in partnership with the National Works Agency (NWA), honoured The Right Excellent Paul Bogle, one of Jamaica's National Heroes, in recognition of his enduring contribution to the nation's history.

The designation of the 31.5-kilometre stretch of highway, extending from Bull Bay Bridge to the Morant Bay Roundabout, recognises Paul Bogle's courage, leadership and sacrifice, while commemorating his pivotal role in the 1865 Morant Bay Rebellion, which drew national attention to the injustices faced by the people of St Thomas and helped inspire lasting social and political reform.

Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, Dr Andrew Holness, who delivered the main address, described the highway as a transformative infrastructure investment that will improve connectivity, reduce travel times and stimulate economic growth along Jamaica's southern coastline.

“This road that we celebrate here and we name in honour of our national hero will improve the lives of the people of this country,” he said.

“Everybody who takes the bus to work and gets there 30 minutes earlier experiences a saving of resources, whether it is petrol, time, convenience [or] increased productivity,” he added.

The Paul Bogle Highway represents the largest road infrastructure investment in the history of St Thomas and Holness noted the official naming reflects the Government's commitment to preserving the legacy of Jamaica's National Heroes by linking major national infrastructure projects with individuals whose contributions have shaped the country's development.

“Today we repay St Thomas,” the Prime Minister said.

“Today history comes full circle as we name this road in honour of our National Hero,” he added.

Holness also disclosed that the Government is considering a name for the remaining section of the highway extending from Morant Bay to the Portland border.

He noted that The Right Excellent George William Gordon, one of the central figures in the Morant Bay Rebellion, would be among the leading considerations.

The ceremony brought together government officials, stakeholders and residents at the Morant Bay Roundabout to witness the historic occasion in the parish most closely associated with the life and legacy of Paul Bogle.

Among those delivering remarks were Mayor of Morant Bay, Councillor Louis Chin; Member of Parliament for St Thomas Eastern, Yvonne Rose-Marie Shaw; and Member of Parliament for St Thomas Western, James Robertson.

- JIS News

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