Business View Caribbean - March 2016 33
the Municipality is also in discussions with a German
solar company that plans to set up a solar plant in
Portmore “to use our sunshine to generate electricity
for our residents and businesses.” The plant will also
produce solar equipment, creating hundreds of jobs
for area residents.
In addition, ground has already been broken for a Mu-
nicipal, Climate Change Park, which will be called the
Portmore/Hagen Climate Change Park – a 15-acre
property that will showcase the best current environ-
mental practices, featuring mini-windmills, a solar ar-
ray, and recycling and rainfall harvesting demonstra-
tions, among other exhibits. The park will be a learning
resource for the city’s school children, the general
population of Portmore, and visitors to the city.
While Portmore is not marketed as a tourist destina-
tion for the millions of incoming travelers to Jamaica
every year, there are many places there for entertain-
ment, eating, relaxing, and enjoyment, including nu-
merous restaurants, nightclubs, stores, and hotels.
Both Fort Clarence Beach and the Helshire Half Moon
beach are famous for their festivals, white sands,
and abundant marine life. Portmore is also home to
the Portmore Mall, the largest shopping center in the
English-speaking Caribbean, and Caymanas Park, the
island’s only race track.
Over the last 40 years, Portmore has been trans-
formed from swamps, mangroves, and farmlands,
with scattered hamlets and dirt tracks into a modern
metropolis with bus transportation, a major commuter
highway - the Portmore Toll Road - and air service pro-
vided by the nearby Tinson Pen Airport and the Nor-
man Manley International Airport. It is a colorful city,
rich in heritage, recreation, entertainment, sports,
education, shopping, and business. And according to
Mayor Thomas, the “Sunshine City” is a place where
“you can live, raise a family, do business and enjoy
wholesome entertainment– and it is still growing.”
