Prime Minister Bruce Golding and the ministers of transport, tourism, information and youth, sports and culture are expected to be on hand, along with Noel Hylton, president and ceo of the Jamaica Port Authority, and various senators, high commissioners, the mayor of Falmouth and councillors, magistrates and other officials. Royal Caribbean chairman and ceo Richard Fain leads a delegation of senior executives from his company.
Over the past few weeks, during ship visits building up to the first Oasis call, Jamaicans climbed on their roofs and waved the passengers in and out. John Tercek, vp commercial development for Royal Caribbean, said passengers who have visited so far have been charmed and intrigued by this emerging port.
Falmouth remains a work in progress. Heavy machinery is paving roads and moving earth in the port area and the town, and key buildings like the stately Court House are under scaffolding and a hive of workers are painting, shoveling and hammering and stone-laying.
Yet it’s clear this will be a destination of meaty historic interest, with signage commemorating various buildings and events, and a key attraction, the Good Hope Estate, a vast plantation developed by Jamaica operator Chukka Caribbean Adventures, is available to explore in myriad ways, from river tubing to culinary classes to ziplining.
