Local Savanna-la-Mar fisherman, 'Fitzroy' Summerville, showcases his catch of the day: conch.

Savanna-La-Mar, also referred to as Sav and Savlamar, is known as the 'plain by the sea', a name given to the area by early Spanish settlers, though the town is really built on a strip of land enclosed by mangrove swamps. With its shoals and reefs, Sav is a prime target for natural disasters - a by-product of having many natural wonders.

Thirty-three miles from Montego Bay, Sav was formed in 1730. The parish capital has had a history of boom and doom. Cattle-raising and agriculture provide jobs for many Sav residents, but three devastating hurricanes (1748, 1780, and 1912) halted the town's economic growth for many years.

Many homes were destroyed as a result of those hurricanes. Livestock perished and businesses crashed in their wake. Moreover, in more recent times, declining production at the Frome Sugar Factory also slowed Sav's economic development. The factory, the largest on the island, blamed sugar slowdown and the state of the national economy for its current situation. Now, Sav's economic activities centre around retail, restaurant ownership, and the sporadic benefits of Negril tourism.

Ever resilient, Sav, after being ripped apart by hurricanes, disease, and other natural disasters, remains a hub for innovation. Among the many entrepreneurial opportunities in the area, the addition of another pimento factory has created more jobs for Savanna-la-Mar residents. Countless structures, including the Savanna-la-Mar cast-iron fountain, the historic courthouse and the Westmoreland Parish Church, have preserved the diverse parish capital with picturesque, historical treasures that will last for many generations to come.

Increasing job market

The town is steadily increasing its job market every year with agricultural and medical opportunities, according to industry leaders and long-term residents. Although many people born and raised in Sav have moved from the area to pursue opportunities, in the island's more flourishing regions such as the Montego Bay resort quarters, Kingston's thriving downtown industrial district, or abroad, one thing is certain: the opportunities, though some small, are just as diverse as Sav's varied population. The more conventional careers are slowly fading in the heart of Savanna-la-Mar; however, the people of Sav are using their creativity to express a pounding, buoyant spirit that has never lain dormant: the spirit of entrepreneurship. Sav has housed the innovative efforts of a water chemist, a tattoo artist, an orphaned humanitarian, and a pimento explorer.