Vendors and customers at the Portmore Fishing Village in St. Catherine should feel a greater sense of security now that a Police Outpost has been established in the area.

The Portmore Marine Outpost was officially opened today by Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington.

Speaking at the ceremony the Commissioner said it will serve as a community Police Post as well as a Marine Outpost for the JCF Marine Division. He also gave the commitment of the police to have a consistent presence in area.

“We want to indicate to all the fisher folk who operate here and all those who come here for business that the police are committed to permanent presence and operations at this facility.”
He said the Outpost will be integral in fighting transnational criminal activities.

“On the very first week that we deployed officers here we were able to intercept shipments of guns coming in and we have been able to disrupt drug movements around here as well” the Commissioner said.

The Commissioner thanked those involved in the project particularly the JCF Property Management Unit, which built the outpost and the National Road Operating & Constructing Company, NROCC, which provided the funding.

In his remarks, Managing Director at NROCC Ivan Anderson said the fishing village was built with significant input from the fisher folk and is managed by them. He was also happy to boast that the village including the police outpost is run on solar energy.  He described the fishing village as the “best in Jamaica”.

The Portmore Marine Outpost was established at a cost of $200 million