Approximately 9000 residents in Fairfield, St. James are set to receive improved water supply delivery from an upgraded 8-inch Ductile Iron pipeline from Fairfield Ave to Fairfield Tank within three months.

The work, which is being done by the National Water Commission (NWC), will benefit residents from Fairfield Irwin, Cashew Grove, and Tucker Avenue and include the replacement of the 2km of old and aging 6″ Asbestos Concrete Pipe that was prone to leakage.

“These pipes were meant to be changed many decades ago. However, we now have the financial capacity and space to do this project. So, the works behind us will cost some $47 million and pipes have been pulled from the NWC stores of pipes, which will carry the value of the project to approximately $70 million when complete”, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Matthew Samuda stated.

He continued, “There are a number of developments being contemplated in the space. This (replacement work) will significantly increase the reliability of water delivery to all consumers in the area and will also lay the base for growth”.

Once completed, the team from the National Works Agency (NWA) will begin the road rehabilitation.

“The NWA has already completed the procurement of the road works where the pipes are being laid, and once this is completed in 3 months, immediately after that, work will start. The contractor has already been approved and contract work is complete”, Minister Samuda added.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for West Central St. James, Marlene Malahoo-Forte, said “The replacement and upgrade of the pipes on Fairfield Avenue is one aspect of the infrastructure work that is preceding the road work so the constituents and I have been in constant dialogue about the work…so again, I am asking for your patience as we do the work in sequence to improve the infrastructure”.

Minister Samuda encouraged the residents to work with the NWC, once the emergency works are completed, and pay their bills on time. He also reassured them that when they see water coming from the system, it indicates that the NWC is conducting pressure testing, not a leak.

“The process involves, pipes being laid, pressure testing, and flushing of the system as I also try to assure residents that when they see the initial water coming from the flushing of the system it is not a leaking of a new network but a natural process to make sure that the pipes are clean so that when we do come into the new network, you get the benefit of clean potable water. You will receive the water from us as a Christmas gift and the road work completed as a New Year’s gift, Madam MP. This will provide the citizens with quality infrastructure, something that has been strongly advocated but is currently lacking,” the Minister ended.

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Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says Portland is set for massive development as part of the Government’s plan to sustain long term infrastructure investment without interruption. 

The Prime Minister, who was speaking yesterday (August 14, 2024) at the groundbreaking ceremony for the $4.2 billion Boundbrook Urban Center in Port Antonio, outlined several projects for the parish, including a development plan for the Port Antonio Waterfront, and a new bypass road for the town of Port Antonio valued at US$75 million. 

“We are giving the town of Port Antonio the opportunity to breathe so you won’t be taking traffic that is passing through, or (doesn’t) have business there.  That bypass road will ultimately continue through the hills and connect to the 14 kilometers of road between Yallahs and Harbour View.  So, you’re going to have essentially two roads.  One, the main road that will carry heavy traffic, heavy volume, (and) get you to where you’re going quickly, and one, the more scenic route that is for the tourism economy that we intend to develop”, he stated.   

 The Prime Minister added that the long-term strategy for the parish also includes buildings that are suitable for public use including the Boundbrook Urban Centre which is to be constructed on 6.68 acres of land and will contain an amalgamation of the services provided by the Government of Jamaica and the private sector. 

 “It will have the Municipal building, it will have other Government entities plus private facilities, it will be linked with the Court House, and I believe with the Examination Depot… There is a master plan, so this is not a chaka chaka development”, he stated. 

 The over 100,000 sq. ft.  Boundbrook Urban Centre, is being developed by the Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ), which is an agency of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, in tandem with equity partners, the National Commercial Bank and Barita Investments Ltd. 

 Work on the Urban Centre is to be undertaken by China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).  

 

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The Government will begin distributing grants today (Monday, August 5, 2024) to persons who suffered total loss of their houses due to the passage of Hurricane Beryl. 

 Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness made the announcement on Friday, (August 2, 2024), during the handing over of units under the New Social Housing Programme, to beneficiaries in North Central Clarendon. 

 “I am happy to report that come Monday, August 5, 2024, we will start the distribution of the grants for those persons who suffered total loss of their house”, he stated.  

The Prime Minister noted that many Jamaicans suffered loss and damage because of Hurricane Beryl, with some persons still without electricity and water, and many without a roof over their heads, with no wherewithal to recover. 

 However, he reiterated that the Government has outlined a comprehensive recovery plan for reconstruction, to assist families who have been verified and assessed as having suffered damage in the wake of Hurricane Beryl.  

 “You may recall that I had announced in Parliament just over $1 billion for this element of the reconstruction and recovery and the Minister of Labour and Social Security would have given the details, which would be $400,000 for persons who have been assessed as having totally lost their homes; $150,000 to persons assessed as having substantial damage and $50,000 for persons who would have been assessed as having minor damage”, he outlined. 

 The Prime Minister explained that over the next few weeks, the grants will be handed out to persons who were assessed. 

 “We hope to complete the total handing out within the next three to four weeks so that all Jamaicans who have been assessed as having suffered damage would be able to start their recovery and hopefully could be complete even before back to school”. 

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Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says that by the end of the year, a total of over 300 units will be built under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP).

Speaking on Friday (August 2, 2024) at the handing over of three units in Northern Clarendon, Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness stated this is the “248th unit under the New Social Housing Programme. We have 53 units in varied stages of completion, so by the end of the year, we will be well over 300 units built”.

Prime Minister Holness explained that the NSHP provides a social safety net for vulnerable persons in relation to shelter.

“Under the New Social Housing Programme we construct an entire unit for an assessed household meaning that the beneficiary goes through a process of social investigation where we look at the economic and social circumstances of the household to determine whether or not they meet the set criteria, meaning firstly that they have no income or means by which they can purchase or acquire proper shelter. They are senior citizens elderly, or the household is such that they have young children, pregnant and lactating mothers so we try to be very strategic in targeting the beneficiaries” he stated.

The latest beneficiaries under the NHSP are Beverly Howell, who received a one-bedroom unit; Mr. Pholando Clayton, who received a two-bedroom unit and Mr. Everal Thomas of Stewarton, Clarendon, who received a three-bedroom unit.

To date, more than 860 individuals, across 57 of the 63 constituencies have received units under the NSHP.  In North Central Clarendon, 7 housing units have been completed benefitting 24 individuals. Additionally, a total of 75 projects, or 242 units comprising 419 rooms, are expected to commence between now and the 2025/26 Financial Year.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister pointed out that the NSHP is only one element of the Government’s total policy for housing in Jamaica in which it has committed to the construction of 70,000 new units across the island.

Of that number, the Prime Minister stated that the NHT is responsible for the construction of 43,000 units.  He further explained that the NHT is in an advanced stage, with close to 30,000 units of the 43,000 in various stages of construction.

“The NHT has 5,081 solutions that are in various stages of completion. They have 10,680 Units in contracts, meaning that they have gone through procurement, (and) they have engaged with the contractors to start construction.  They have 16,867 solutions in the procurement process meaning that they are now engaging with various contractors through procurement to determine who will actually do the construction” he noted.

The Prime Minister added that the remainder is in the planning process with the NHT in the process of finalizing designs, acquiring land and getting the necessary permits and approvals.
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Minister with responsibility for Works in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC), Robert Nesta Morgan, says the Government of Jamaica, through the National Works Agency (NWA), is fully prepared for the potential impact of Hurricane Beryl.

Minister Morgan seeks to reassure Jamaicans that the NWA has ramped up its drain-cleaning activities and is in constant communication with key stakeholders to ensure a coordinated response.

Minister Morgan’s statement comes against the backdrop of what he describes as misguided calls by the Opposition for the release of funds for drain cleaning.

He states that in June, all constituencies were granted allocations for drain cleaning in preparation for the hurricane season, with over $100 million provided for this purpose.

He adds that MEGJC is taking all necessary steps through the NWA to prepare for Hurricane Beryl, with preparations well underway to mitigate the risks posed by the storm. Cleaning operations are prioritized and will be completed as swiftly as possible, with many exercises already commenced or scheduled to begin this afternoon.

To this end, the NWA has deployed equipment and initiated clearance exercises across several key locations to ensure better hydraulic flow in the event of heavy rainfall. This includes areas such as Wickie-Wackie and the lower section of the Sandy Gully in St. Andrew; the North Gully and the South Gully in St. James; Danvers Pen in St. Thomas; and historically flood-prone areas in Portmore, St. Catherine.

Additionally, Minister Morgan states that key partners in the NWA’s disaster response mechanism, including contractors and equipment owners, have been engaged to ensure readiness to respond at a moment’s notice. Specific instructions have also been given to contractors on active major projects to monitor and address potential impacts.

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Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says Jamaica is living Climate Change.

Speaking yesterday, (June 13, 2024) at a Public Lecture on Loss and Damage at the University of the West Indies Mona, Minister Samuda said Climate Change impacts are affecting every part of our lives and every sector in our economy, especially since 70 percent of our population lives within five kilometres of the sea in low lying areas.

“When you live that close to the sea in low lying areas, land loss is an issue. When so much of your economy depends on foreign exchange earned from tourism which sells “Sun, Sand and Sea”, losing your beaches is an issue. When you have saltwater intrusion and deteriorating soil quality affecting the output of your farmers, it’s an issue, and that is our lived experience in Jamaica”, the Minister emphasized.

He noted that when climate change is discussed, people in the developed world often think of the effects as a Category 5 hurricane, or devastating fires similar to that occurring in British Columbia last year.   He added, however, that it is the slow onset events that have debilitating effects on managing the economy and keeping the society together.

“We’re seeing the awful effects of our slow onset events.  It is the drought that we had last year which is hard to (capture on) film. It’s not something you can capture theatrically. But when you have the sort of droughts and long dry periods that we are now experiencing in Jamaica, you understand it in a real way. You see that impact when you have further learning loss because a school can’t be opened as it doesn’t have water”, the Minister explained.

Minister Samuda highlighted the need to understand the science behind climate change, and to explain the science to citizens, as otherwise, it would be difficult to justify development plans that are more expensive and slower.

“Adaptation plans have to contemplate citizens at the centre of these plans and have to contemplate making investments that, to make them climate resilient, are way more expensive than some of the infrastructure that we have built in the past. These are tough discussions”, the Minister noted.

Minister Samuda said he therefore welcomed the role that the University of the West Indies, Jamaica’s Multi-lateral Partners and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) are playing, in bringing the discussions to the table and ‘laying the wicket” for politicians to have the necessary economic talks on these issues.

The Loss and Damage Workshops and Public Lecture were held under the theme “The Urgent Need for Climate Change Attribution Science”.

Detection and Attribution Science, is aimed at identifying changes in climate which are outside of the natural range and determining the cause of these unnatural changes.   This, in turn, will serve to inform the true value of Loss and Damage due to climate change.

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The process of the implementation of the Government’s multi-billion-dollar road rehabilitation project has moved closer. Five companies have been shortlisted to bid on the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) project.

Minister Without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with responsibility for Works, Robert Morgan made that announcement today (June 12). He explained that the National Works Agency (NWA), which is the Government’s lead entity under the project recently completed the pre-qualification stage of the International Competitive Bidding process.

He says eight companies, including two construction entities from Jamaica responded to the bid. The five companies that have been pre-qualified are:

• Sinohydro Corporation Limited, China
• Municipal Enterprises Limited, Canada
• Lagan Aviation and Infrastructure Limited, UK
• China Harbour Engineering Company Limited, China
• VINCI Construction Grands Projects, France

The Government intends to implement the works island-wide through four packages. The packages will include both main and community roads.

Minister Morgan says that the Government is now turning its attention to requesting bids from the pre-qualified contractors. These proposals are to be returned by the middle of August.

Following the submission of these proposals, a contract for the works to the successful firm should be approved by the Cabinet by the end of September.

Minister Morgan says that though it is expected that an international company will be the successful bidder, a local company will be involved in the execution of the plans for the works. The successful bidder, as per the arrangement under the project, must include a local company in the implementation.

In the meantime, the NWA has continued to collaborate with other government departments and agencies in staging consultative meetings across the country.
The meetings are being led by the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). To date, meetings have been held in 21 constituencies.
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Minister without Portfolio, Hon. Robert Nesta Morgan, is emphasizing the critical role of local contractors in the Shared Prosperity Through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) Programme.

During a meeting with stakeholders of the programme at the New Kingston offices of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation on June 4, 2024, Minister Morgan gave the assurance that local contractors are integral to the project.

He asserted that claims that they are being sidelined in favour of overseas contractors are unequivocally false.

“The Government values and relies on the essential involvement of local contractors for the successful execution of the SPARK project. We remain committed to fostering local expertise while benefiting from international collaboration”, the Minister stated.

Minister Morgan added that the procurement process for the four packages under the SPARK project adheres to the International Competitive Bid (ICB) framework.

“The pre-qualification stage has been successfully completed and we are now moving to the Bid-Proposal stage. Pre-qualified contractors will be invited to submit their tenders”, the Minister stated.

He further noted that all international contractors participating in this process are mandated to have local partners, aligning with global best practices.

The Minister outlined the roles of the local contractors, noting that they would be required to assist in competitive bid proposal preparation; provide logistics support for sourcing materials, labour, and equipment; and facilitate set-up and mobilization for efficient project execution.

He explained that most local partners will be engaged through subcontracting arrangements with international contractors, which are factored into bid pricing.

Minister Morgan noted that upon acceptance of bid proposals, international contractors will include the agreements with local subcontractors in their detailed work plans, thereby maintaining the quality and integrity of the programme.

 

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This is a joint press release from the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica

The Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Robert Nesta Morgan, and members of the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica (IMAJ) convened an inaugural meeting yesterday (June 4, 2024) to discuss the Shared Prosperity Through Accelerated Improvement (SPARK) Programme.

Minister Morgan assured the IMAJ that “the Government has no intention of excluding local contractors from the SPARK or any other programmes. The Government rather looks forward to the inclusion of local contractors through active collaboration.”

During the meeting, members of the IMAJ outlined their proposals and concerns on how to improve the programme and increase local participation.

Mr. Richard Mullings, President of the IMAJ, expressed his appreciation for the meeting and stated, “We are pleased with the Government’s commitment to inclusivity. This dialogue is a significant step towards ensuring that local contractors play a vital role in the SPARK Programme. We look forward to working collaboratively to achieve our shared goals.”

The Government and the IMAJ agreed to engage in consultations on the SPARK Programme going forward, and the IMAJ pledged to formally share their recommendations on various processes, including implementation.

In concluding the meeting, there was a commitment to open dialogue. Minister Morgan noted that this was the first of many meetings and emphasized his commitment to engaging the works sector in more consultations to address emerging and longstanding issues. The IMAJ expressed its optimism that such consultations would provide clarification to its membership on how to better access project opportunities and improve collaboration with the public sector; all with the intention of raising the level of service provided to the Jamaican public.

The SPARK Programme seeks to rehabilitate hundreds of the island’s roadways over two years and will be administered by the Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation (MEGJC), Ministry of Finance and the Public Service (MOFPS), Ministry of Local Government and Community Development (MLGCD), and the National Works Agency (NWA).

Participating in the meeting were Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Arlene Williams; Mr. E.G. Hunter, Chief Executive Officer of the National Works Agency; Mr. Varden Downer, Senior Director of Project Implementation at the National Works Agency; Mr. Richard Mullings, President of IMAJ; Mr. Paul Williams, 2nd Vice President of IMAJ; and representatives of YP Seaton & Associates Company Limited, Alcar Construction & Haulage Company Limited, Build-Rite Construction Company Limited, Smiths Asphalt & Aggregate Limited, S&G Road Surfacing Materials Limited, Construction Solutions Limited and Asphaltic Concrete Enterprise Limited.

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The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) is advancing its efforts to safeguard human health and the environment with the implementation of the 4th phase of the ban on specific types of single-use plastic products. This policy target remains paramount.

The Government has however acknowledged concerns from stakeholders and decided to extend the implementation period by an additional month, to fine-tune administrative arrangements, facilitate further stakeholder engagement, and ramp up additional public education.

Sen. the Hon. Matthew Samuda, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, in addressing the extended implementation time, has made the point that “this additional one-month period will cause very little trade disruptions, but will enhance market readiness for the necessary changes”.

He went on to state that “Jamaica is progressing in line with implementing the measures that have proven to reduce Plastic waste, but in a manner that creates the least inflationary impact and trade disruptions”.

This phase targets single-use plastic food containers and microplastics in cosmetic and personal care products, marking a significant step towards regulating plastics from manufacture to disposal.

Effective July 1, 2024, the importation, distribution, sale, or use of any single-use plastic food container made wholly or in part of polyethylene, polypropylene, or polylactic acid (PLA) will be prohibited. This ban, however, excludes related transparent plastic lids until environmentally friendly alternatives become available. Additionally, existing stock imported before this date will be exempt.

Effective July 1, 2025, the ban will extend to personal care and cosmetic products containing intentionally added plastic microbeads or microplastics. This measure allows for thorough consultation and sensitization among private sector stakeholders and regulatory authorities, ensuring a smooth transition.

The Technical Working Group on single-use plastic products, comprising senior officers from various Agencies including the Bureau of Standards Jamaica and the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority, has been instrumental in shaping this phase of the ban. The Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation has also engaged with the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association and major importers and distributors of single-use plastic products to ensure comprehensive stakeholder input.

To facilitate the new regulations, amendments to The Trade (Plastic Packaging Materials Prohibition) Order, 2018 will be made. These include:

• Expanding the definition of ‘single-use plastic’ to encompass plastic food containers and cosmetic care products with microbeads or microplastics.
• Exempting transparent plastic lids related to single-use plastic food containers.
• Retaining the existing prohibition measures.

Importers will be required to submit a pre-shipment declaration, including a quality or inspection certificate from an internationally recognized accreditation body, to aid regulatory agencies in identifying target products at ports.

Plastic, while beneficial due to its inexpensive, flexible, durable, and lightweight characteristics, poses significant environmental hazards. Non-biodegradable plastics break down into microplastics, contaminating the food chain and marine environment. Marine animals often mistake these microplastics for food, leading to adverse ecological impacts.

The GOJ is committed to mitigating the environmental and health impacts of plastic pollution through stringent regulation of plastic products across their life cycle. This phased approach aims to promote sustainable practices and protect the natural ecosystem for future generations.

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