In the town of Mandeville today, among all the historic architectural landmarks, is an economic business centre jam-packed with people from St Elizabeth, Clarendon and Trelawny, the parishes surrounding Manchester.

Mandeville is now the capital of one of Jamaica's larger parishes and is home to a raft of educational institutes, including the Manchester High School, Bishop Gibson High, Church Teachers' College and the Northern Caribbean University.

The Mandeville Hospital, which is integral to individuals who cannot afford to head to Kingston every time they fall ill, is one of the major buildings within the parish capital.

Commerce, main occupation

The main occupation in Mandeville comes from commerce, as is the case for most business centres across Jamaica. According to residents, many of Mandeville's citizens were also employed in the bauxite industry and so they, and the town by extension, are currently feeling the effects of the bauxite industry's collapse.

Mandeville is the home of this year's Gleaner's Children's Own National Spelling Bee Champion, Shari-Jo Miller, who attends the Bishop Gibson High School for Girls. The combination of that fact, with the town's high altitude, makes the town of Mandeville a very cool place.

- Text and photos by Andrew Wildes

Students from the Bishop Gibson High School for Girls stroll home after school.