Increase in used-car marts affecting other businesses in Manchester — Phillips
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Member of Parliament for Manchester North Western Mikael Phillips says the proliferation of used car marts in this south-central parish is affecting the expansion of legitimate business opportunities and spoiling the aesthetics of the town.
“Manchester is known as the king of used cars right now. We have them at every juncture, even in some locations where legitimate business persons try to get properties and can’t get it, because the [National Works Agency] says that the entrance to the main roadway is not conducive for any such business, but we see chain link fences going up right across the parish,” he said, while speaking at Manchester Chamber of Commerce’s Lunch in the Tropics function on Wednesday at Tropics View Hotel in Hatfield.
Phillips further said the car marts make the parish look ugly.
“Even though you speak of a clean parish, and that is even another issue, is that the parish is looking ugly with these chain link fences right across and, I mean, you might point fingers on me and say that is the politicians’ work, but it is not my job alone. It is each and every one of us [who] call Manchester home,” he said.
Car marts, which are popular in Mandeville and its environs, have been rapidly increasing on lands adjacent to the Winston Jones Highway to Spur Tree Hill main road over the years.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that we hold the municipal council and the National Works Agency accountable as business people,” Phillips told the audience of business leaders in Manchester.
He said the leaders must look at means of attracting investment in Manchester.
Phillips added that people are hoping for a boom in business when the US$188 million May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000, now under construction, is expected to be completed in March 2023.
The project — which will reduce travel time between Kingston, Mandeville, and points west — was originally scheduled for completion in October 2022.
“…We have a new highway coming, which will make it shorter for people to come [to Manchester], you see more people buying land and just putting it down, hoping for the boom,” said Phillips.
He also pointed to the once-booming bauxite industry, which brought economic growth to Manchester.
“Bauxite is already dead, so we have to now look at the parish and see what other industries we can bring [here] to ensure that Manchester survives,” he said.
