MONTEGO BAY, St James - The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has promised to provide $2 million to the Montego Bay Fisherman's Co-operative Society Limited to assist in the construction of a fishing dock at the River Bay fishing beach in Montego Bay.

Construction of the dock forms part of the cooperative's $140 million development project.

"What we will do from the ministry's point of view is to see how we can facilitate the construction of the dock where they will put their boats on. Estimate for it is somewhere in the region of $2 million," Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Roger Clarke said.

He was speaking to reporters following tours of the River Bay and Whitehouse fishing beaches in Montego Bay, St James last weekend.

The agriculture and fisheries minister was accompanied by Lloyd B Smith, the member of parliament for Central St James; Suzette Brown, PNP candidate for Montego Bay South division; Henry McCurdy, the PNP caretaker for the North West St James constituency and fishing interests from the resort city.

Meanwhile, Curtis Hylton, the project co-ordinator for the Montego Bay Fishing Co-operative Society's development project, said the plan for the facility includes the construction of 40 shops, a dock, a restaurant, sports bar, car wash, a conference room and parking space.

The improvement works at the facility will be undertaken in phases.