FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Newly-elected president of the Trelawny Chamber of Commerce (TCC), Richard Bourke plans to ensure that business interests in the parish maximise commercial gains from the development of the $7.5-billion cruise ship pier in Falmouth.

" There are a number of projects relating to the co-ordination of the pier and the feeling is that a lot of the planning has been done outside of the parish so really we as a chamber we want to get much more involved," Bourke told the Observer West.


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Bourke, who has been chairman of the Montego Bay chapter of Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) for the past three years surrendered that post to make himself free for assuming the leadership of the TCC, which was held by the outspoken Dennis Seivwright for the past six years.

Bourke was quick to dispel the perception in some quarters that he usurped the position from Seivwright, noting that the immediate past president did not offer himself for re-election at the recent annual general meeting held at Breezes Resort and Spa Trelawny recently, where Bourke is general manager.

" I was approached by other people about getting more involved I went to Dennis and I said Dennis you came to me two years ago and I think I am ready to do that now. I made it clear I would not run against him. I said if you are ready to step down I am willing to step up and so it was mutual agreement and unanimous support from members of the board," Bourke explained.

He said "the significant order of business is generating new membership for the chamber" and "mending fences and getting everybody involved".

"The chamber over the years has tended to be a little bit divided so we intend to get everybody back to the table," he said.

Bourke is also moving to integrate more of the business from South Trelawny into the chamber.

" There is a perception that the chamber of commerce is a Falmouth entity but as the name implies it is purposely named Trelawny Chamber of Commerce and we already have a lot of interests from persons out of southern Trelawny," he said.

Other executives of the TCC are vice-presidents Linnel Maclean Jnr and Delroy Christie; Joycelyn Knight, secretary and Jackie Green, treasurer. the other members of the executive include immediate past president Dennis Seivwright, Chris Parnell, Guy Morris , Florence Logan and Trevor Bodden.