Kingston, Jamaica – The construction of an Artisan Village in the resort town of Ocho Rios, St. Ann moved one step closer to reality on Thursday August 25, 2011 when designs for the facility were unveiled to tourism stakeholders in the area.
During a tour of the proposed site of the village along Milford Road and Main Street Ocho Rios, Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett announced that some $1 billion will be spent on the project. The Artisan Village is envisaged to be a ‘one stop’ venue for authentic Jamaican food, music, heritage and craft as it is believed the craft market concept in Jamaica is inadequate to showcase and sell the Jamaican experience to visitors.
According to Minister Bartlett “one of the features of this village is that it will give visitors and locals alike an opportunity to challenge the creativeness of our local artists from whom they will be able to get art products which are truly authentic to Jamaica and which will be designed right there in the village.”
Hon. Edmund Bartlett(file photo)
Minister Bartlett said “the village is aimed at giving Jamaican artists and craftsmen an avenue to expose and express their creativeness while playing a meaningful role in reducing the volume of imported craft items which are now being sold in the industry.”
The Minister added that “we are seeing too many goods in our craft markets which are made elsewhere and Artisan Villages will be built across the island to ultimately put an end to that practice.”
Noting that once completed the Artisan Village will be the main area for craft traders, Minister Bartlett said “we are moving to reduce the number of craft vending areas across the resort areas. These vending points sometimes give our visitors security concerns but once we can get the village up and going security should not be an issue especially in Ocho Rios as Cruise visitors will be able to visit without hassle.”
The Tourism Minister also revealed that “over the next five years, additional Artisan Villages will be constructed in the resort areas of Montego Bay, Falmouth, Port Antonio, and Negril. Five billion dollars is to be spent to build all five villages including the one in Ocho Rios.”
