Sat | Feb 7, 2026

Bath Botanical Gardens to be rehabilitated at a cost of $29.5 million

Published:Friday | February 6, 2026 | 4:17 PM
Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) Managing Director, Omar Sweeney (second right), affixes his signature to the contract to rehabilitate Bath Botanical Gardens in St Thomas, during a contract-signing ceremony on February 5 at JSIF’s Richmond Avenue of
Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) Managing Director, Omar Sweeney (second right), affixes his signature to the contract to rehabilitate Bath Botanical Gardens in St Thomas, during a contract-signing ceremony on February 5 at JSIF’s Richmond Avenue offices in St Andrew. Also participating in the signing (from left) are Chief Technical Director, Special Projects in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Courtney Cole; Project Manager at SM Quality Construction, Roger Smith; and Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Tourism, David Dobson.

Bath Botanical Gardens in St Thomas will be rehabilitated over a five-month period at a cost of $29.5 million.

The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), along with the Ministries of Tourism, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, signed a contract with SM Quality Construction for the undertaking on February 5, at JSIF’s Richmond Avenue offices in Kingston.

The project will be implemented under the second Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI II), which is designed to enhance and promote sustainable heritage tourism experiences.

Funding is being provided through a loan agreement between the Government and the World Bank.

JSIF Managing Director, Omar Sweeney, said that the strategic investment was planned long before Hurricane Melissa, which impacted Jamaica in October 2025.

He noted that the project is in keeping with measures to diversify the country’s tourism offerings.

“A part of our resilience as a country, as well, is our economic resilience. That is to ensure that the country’s development, in particular the country’s tourism offerings, don’t rely on one place, like on the north coast for example, that we are diversified and we are able to have investments and attractions across the country,” he said.

Sweeney reasoned that this approach would provide economic opportunities for jobseekers in all parishes, versus moving to secure employment.

Rehabilitation works at the 247-year-old gardens will include installation of a drip irrigation and sprinkler system, construction of a shade house to support the growth of 300 seedlings, renovation of existing office spaces, and construction of new gazebos and rehabilitation of existing ones.

Repairs will be carried out on the walkways, and the Georgian-style wrought-iron perimeter fencing and gates.

The gardens’ restroom facilities will be renovated to include additional stalls, access for the disabled and a dedicated changing station.

Additionally, the gardens will be outfitted with equipment such as lawnmowers, tree pruners, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and garbage receptacles.

In his remarks, Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Tourism, David Dobson, noted that the destination management plan for St Thomas includes the twinning of the botanical gardens with the Bath Hotel and Spa.

“We want it to finish on time and we are working in congruence with what is happening there, because the tourism product must continue to grow. There are other investments that are creeping into St Thomas and we want them to come together, so that the various clusters can begin now, to place St Thomas as a budding tourism destination,” he said.

- JIS News

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