Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness today (April 28) handed over five new houses to persons in Campbell Town, Central Kingston, and West Albion Meadows in St. Thomas, under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP).

Three units were handed over to Ms. Leisha Brown, Ms. Lisa Brown and Mr. Lloyd White who were displaced by a fire that gutted their homes at 1 Goodwin Avenue in Campbell Town, Central Kingston in 2020.  Mr. White had resorted to living in an old, abandoned vehicle in the area.

In his remarks, Prime Minister Holness noted that the NSHP is designed to help persons who are in immediate distress.

“This is one such case where a residence which housed several households, was destroyed by fire and what we have decided to do is to rebuild on the same property. But we didn’t just build without first of all establishing who has the right to build and occupy the property because the government doesn’t want to contribute to the informal, haphazard and irregular settlement of land, and so we ensured that we were able to establish ownership and occupancy through a formal legal process, and so I am satisfied”, he stated,

The Prime Minister added that the recipients now have an asset that will help them to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

“There is a base from which their children can build. You know the big difference it makes to have housing, shelter, that if it is raining, if there is flooding, that you are protected from the elements; that you can come home in comfort; that there is some level of privacy and security that you can study and do your homework.  You know how that lifts the spirits and gives confidence to our children and allows them to focus and study? We take all these things for granted but it is so very important”.

At West Albion, two units were handed over to recipients Louise Williams and Paula Williams.

Prime Minister Holness explained that a robust selection process devoid of partisan considerations is in place, to ensure that only deserving persons who are most in need receive the houses,

“This is why we call it the HOPE programme. It is about restoring the legitimacy of government as the agent of change in the lives of people…  We are really seeking to deal with those who are living in the worst conditions”, the Prime Minister said.

The New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) which falls under the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation operates under the Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment (HOPE) Programme conceptualized by the Prime Minister and implemented in 2018.

Its aim is to improve the quality of housing for Jamaica’s neediest citizens.

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Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, disclosed that an allocation of J$841.5 million was made in the Constant Spring Water Treatment Plant.

“A key component of this treatment facility are the two (2) clear water storage reservoirs consisting of 5 individual cells: Nos. 2, 3, 4 & 5, which are combined while cell No. 1 is a ‘stand-alone’ structure. The works on cell No. 1 were completed at a cost of $447 million and the other cells received works totaling $394.5 million,” Minister Samuda outlined.

His remarks came yesterday (April 27, 2023), during a tour of the treatment plant where he expressed satisfaction at the work done to upgrade the Constant Spring Treatment Plant in St. Andrew.

“In 2019, the infrastructure was so bad that the roofs collapsed.  It prompted us to do significant work in the area”, he noted.

“Prior to that investment, this facility would have leaked 4 and a half million gallons a day.  Certainly, in a drought like the one we are having, we would not have been able to afford four and a half million gallons a day of leakage”, stated Minister Samuda.

The Minister stated that the upgrading work to the tanks and the facility will benefit approximately 40,000 persons along Constant Spring Road down to Cross Roads and along Washington Boulevard to Pembroke Hall.

Minister Samuda added that the investment forms part of the broader strategy to ensure the complete renovation, restoration, and the creation of a “renaissance” for the water sector in Jamaica.

However, he noted that the process would take several billion dollars and support from partners such as Vinci, local and overseas contractors, as well as support from the capital markets.

The Constant Spring Water Treatment Plant is one of the NWC’s major production facilities with a design capacity of 20 million imperial gallons per day.

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Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the Government will be pursuing amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act and the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act in this financial year.

Speaking yesterday (April 25, 2023) during the launch of the regional CoralCarib Project at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Minister Samuda said the amendments to are geared towards stemming the critical decline in the island’s coral reef structures.

“These amendments will facilitate increased fines and penalties which will assist greatly in deterring activities that are detrimental to the health of our reefs,” Minister Samuda said.

The Minister also disclosed that the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is developing and implementing the Action Plan for Corals and Reefs in Jamaica (2018-2023).

“The Plan seeks to conserve the island’s reef structures so that they can continue to provide vital ecosystem functions and services” he noted.

Jamaica is a member of several regional and international initiatives that support the management of the country’s marine and coastal environments including its biodiversity.

Minister Samuda stated that “the CoralCarib Project will complement the measures that the government is currently pursuing, to conserve the island’s marine and coastal ecosystems, particularly our coral reefs”.

The CoralCarib Project launch was held under the theme “A Climate Smart Approach to Coral Reef Conservation in the Caribbean.  It aims to improve marine biodiversity in 1,871 hectares of priority coral reef ecosystems in four targeted countries, namely Jamaica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.

The Project has received grant funding totaling 6.3million Euros from the International Climate Initiative and the Federal Government of Germany to execute its initiatives.

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The Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation is expected to deliver between ten thousand and thirteen thousand black tanks to rural communities this year.

This follows the announcement made by Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness in his 2023 budget presentation that 50 thousand black tanks would be provided to rural communities as secondary storage methods over a three-year period, to significantly improve the water resilience of these communities.

Minister without Portfolio, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, outlined the approach to the first thirteen thousand tanks yesterday (April 20, 2023) during the commissioning of the Mitchell Town Pipeline Replacement Project in South-Eastern Clarendon.

“This is particularly important, not just because secondary storage is important, but because the NWC’s utility footprint has a start and an endpoint. There are communities that are outside of the utility footprint of the NWC and the Parish Council systems. There are communities that need help right now, and this is one of the ways that we can help”.

Minister Samuda noted that the programme would involve more than just providing the tanks for households.

“We will be including a rainwater harvesting component with every single one of these tanks, meaning we will provide the guttering and collection. We are also going to be training young men and women in communities to do the installation and providing them with a stipend and teaching them in plumbing,” the Minister disclosed.

He added that the tanks will be geo-tagged.

“When we know where secondary storage exists, we are able to plot routes for trucking during times of crisis or dry periods. It makes an inefficient system worse when people are coming out with buckets as opposed to you putting the hose in the tank, and filling the tank properly, ensuring the least possible wastage,” explained Minister Samuda.

The Mitchell Town Pipeline Replacement project began last year June and was completed at a cost of approximately $25 million. It is expected to serve the Mitchell Town Housing Scheme, New Town Phases I and II, Moneymusk Housing Scheme, Lionel Town, Rocky Point and Portland Cottage.

 

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Significant work is to be carried out by the National Water Commission (NWC) over the next three years to supply potable water and increase sanitation for the people of St. Ann.

This was disclosed by Minister Without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda during a ribbon-cutting ceremony today (April 20, 2023) for the Mamee Bay Water Wheel Preservation and Beautification Project in St. Ann.

“I am here acknowledging the work that has been done on this water wheel and using it as an opportunity to state that within the next three years, in excess of 500 million of capital will be deployed into the upgrading of water systems in St. Ann.  That is nothing small.  That is a particularly large investment in the distribution, storage, and processing capacity for water for the citizens of St Ann”, the Minister stated.

He noted that significant work has been carried out in the parish with the commissioning of the Exchange and Bonham Spring Water Supply system, as well as the Liberty Storage Tank Replacement Project which have brought benefits to both the residents served by these systems as well as the National Water Commission.

Minister Samuda hailed the ingenuity of the Jamaican people in creating the water wheel, noting that it was a particularly important monument, as it is one of the first water supply technologies that was instrumental to the development of Jamaica’s agricultural sector.

“Jamaica led the way and provided potable water in many of its parish centres before much of the developed world, but we have fallen behind and I think in recent times, we have been playing our part to catch up”, stated Minister Samuda.

Minister Samuda emphasized that the legacy of this administration will be providing water by turning on the taps every single Thursday for people who have not had it for decades.

Last year, the Tourism Product Development Company and the NWC signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the preservation and beautification of the Mamee Bay Water Wheel.

Under the agreement, the NWC provided 3.4 million dollars for the paving, fencing, and lighting of the water wheel and its environs, while the TPDCO and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust carried out preservation activities, including signage and landscaping.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was also addressed by Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, and Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, Hon. Olivia “Babsy” Grange.

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Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says Jamaica continues to set a defence against the current and impending climate change-related threats.

“Jamaica has been building resilience to climate change through Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) best practices. In terms of aspects related to the theme of ESG, Jamaica has generally tried to set a defence against the current and impending climate change-related threats,” stated Minister Samuda.

Minister Samuda made the comments while participating in a virtual High – Level Panel Discussion on ESG Legislation at the Island Finance Forum yesterday (April 19).

He went on to list some of the initiatives being implemented by the Government.

“We are looking to improve our planning frameworks and we will prepare a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) in the coming years, accompanied by a financial strategy and investment plan. This is to be led by our Planning Institute of Jamaica as the agency leading national development. Also, a long-term strategy for climate change is being undertaken”.

Minister Samuda added that “long-term planning is key for setting the direction toward climate resilience and encouraging investment. Therefore, the Jamaican Government is in the process of developing its Long-Term Low Emission and Climate Resilience Strategy (LTS or Pathway 2050) to pave the way for carbon neutrality, all while creating a more resilient society in the face of climate change”.

The Minister also mentioned the CityAdapt EbA, which is a “project implemented to increase the capacity of governments and local communities to adapt to the effects of climate change by integrating Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) into urban planning”.

In referencing the legislative work being undertaken by the government to bolster Jamaica’s resilience, Minister Samuda advised the Panel “that the Parliament recently approved an updated Climate Change Policy Framework (CCPF), an Emission Policy Framework for Jamaica and a new ‘Watersheds Policy’ Green Paper, which were approved in March 2023”.

The Island Finance Forum brings together leading experts in sustainable finance and development and highlights the unique financial challenges being faced by global island communities and the solutions for sustainable economic recovery and inclusive growth.

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The Government of Jamaica, through the National Water Commission, today (April 18, 2023) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Can-Cara Development Ltd., for the provision of bulk water, sewerage, and irrigation services to NWC customers in South East St. Catherine.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Audrey Sewell outlined the scope of the project.

“Under this MoU, Can-Cara will provide the infrastructure needed for the conveyance of residential and commercial sewage from agreed existing and proposed NWC customers to the existing CDL sewage plant, (and) will also provide for the benefit of the Western Spanish Town Projects water supplies from its well, to the NWC, for distribution by the NWC to its customers”.

The project which will be implemented in three phases forms part of the privatization of the Greater Bernard Lodge Development Project Lands – Transaction Structure, where Can-Cara Development Limited (CDL) was approved by Cabinet, to be the provider of potable water and sewage disposal services to the Greater Bernard Lodge Development Project.

During the signing ceremony which took place at the Ministry’s Head Office, Minister without Portfolio, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, said the project can be used as a blueprint for Jamaica.

“This project is seen to be a great investment and of great value to the development of South East St. Catherine, as it can be used as a blueprint for wider Jamaica. This partnership with a private supplier will promote the planning and designs of both commercial and residential developments within the study area and its environs”.

Minister Samuda noted that the project is one of several steps being taken by the Government to move closer to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which speaks to clean water and sanitation by 2030.

“While we are rapidly expanding housing conditions for our citizens, we understand that the expansion of housing developments must be coupled with the necessary infrastructure to guarantee comfortability in each area. Therefore, the Government of Jamaica through this engagement intends to provide additional sources of water, to improve the delivery of quality, reliable, and continuous water supply to the population”, explained Minister Samuda.

President of the National Water Commission, Mark Barnett, described the MOU as an example of the NWC’s efforts to engage and leverage private financing, in order to expand infrastructure to provide the necessary support for its customers.

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Residents of Sandside and Trinity Heights in St. Mary are expected to benefit from improved water delivery service following the commissioning of a 100,000 US-gallon storage tank.

The tank was installed at a cost of $22 million.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, commissioned the tank into service during a ceremony for the Sandside Storage Tank Replacement Project in Trinity yesterday (April 13, 2023).

“The Sandside storage tank replacement project in Trinity Heights represents a significant investment in reliable water supply which is the base of human dignity, it is the base of every economy and it is the base of comfort”, stated Minister Samuda.

The tank is one of the 33 water storage tanks that are being refurbished and re-commissioned under the programme, at a total cost of $600 million, and will serve a combined total of 120 accounts with a reach of over 500 persons.

The new Glass-Fused-To Steel Bolted Tank also known as Ramgolam replaces the old 20,000-capacity metal tank that deteriorated. The tank was supplied and installed by Florida Aquastore with the major inter-connection work being undertaken by a local contractor – Mustang Construction and Engineering.

Minister Samuda noted the significant work that was carried out by the NWC on both small and large water supply systems last year.

“Persons should know that last year, we deployed hundreds of projects that impacted 200-thousand Jamaicans positively with water.  That was four (4) billion dollars of work. To give you the scale and idea of what we are trying to accomplish this year, I can tell you that we are going to deploy 7 billion dollars of water projects this year that will further benefit 150,000 Jamaicans, not least of all, the residents of St. Mary”, Minister Samuda disclosed.

He noted that some of the areas in St. Mary that have benefitted from water projects thus far, include Shot Pan Corner, Castleton, Islington, Marley, Barclay Town, Fellowship Hall, Macca Hill, White River, and Sandy Hill, and Hamilton Mountain.

Minister Samuda further disclosed that work is underway on the Jordan Wells system that services the Agualta Vale and Highgate areas.

The installation of this tank comes at a crucial time and will assist the NWC in providing significant improvement in water supply reliability and quality from the network.
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Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Clifford Warmington, during his tour of Westmoreland on Wednesday (April 12), says the allocation of approximately $290M to undertake infrastructure works along the St. Paul’s Road corridor is warranted.

Minister Warmington who was on a two-day tour of Western Westmoreland and Western Hanover said he conducted the tour to identify where improvements can be undertaken to improve infrastructure in the parishes.

“I needed to see the road itself to ensure that such expenditure is really warranted, whether you have enough residents; if it is a heavily trafficked road before you can allocate such funds… There must be justifiable reasons… after being here, I am convinced that the expenditure is necessary and warranted”, stated Minister Warmington.

He further reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing the infrastructure challenges in the parish.

“Westmoreland is no longer a neglected parish; we recognize the needs, and we are here.  The tour today has confirmed today the urgency of addressing infrastructure in the parish”, stated Minister Warmington.

Minister Warmington further noted that infrastructure work would soon be undertaken on other roads in the parish including Glasgow, Grange Hill to Little London, Moreland Hill, and Little Bay to Salmon Point.

“These are areas that need to be addressed urgently. We will treat for ways of flooding and put in a new box culvert in so that we can have a proper flow of flood waters when we do have rains” he noted.

Minister Warmington added that the Glasgow to Gooden’s River Road will receive $20 million for urgent infrastructural repairs and that the project has gone to tender.

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Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda told the UN 2023 Water Conference that Jamaica has made significant investments over the last seven years in strengthening the country’s water infrastructure.

Speaking today (March 23, 2022) at the Conference in New York, Minister Samuda stated that several critical infrastructure projects are being undertaken by the Government, which upon completion will improve water supply services across the island and increase the country’s resilience to climate change.

“The National Water Commission (NWC) is replacing aged transmission lines and infrastructure across several service areas in the country, which will improve the delivery of water supply,” Minister Samuda said.

Minister Samuda further advised the UN conference of several key projects implemented by the Government in the water and climate sectors:

• The implementation of the Non-Revenue Water Programme which is improving service delivery to its customers, enhancing the operational efficiency of the NWC, improving water distribution as well as facilitating huge energy and water savings.
• The implementation of Jamaica’s Systemic Risk Assessment Tool, which accesses climate risk to all infrastructure including water. This tool was developed by CCRI and the University of Oxford, with funding from the Green Climate Fund.
• Jamaica’s push to install a Floating Photovoltaic Renewable Energy Plant at the Mona Reservoir. The project involves the installation of a 45 Megawatt-peak (MWp) Direct Current (DC) Floating Photovoltaic Renewable Energy Plant with a 25 Megawatt-hour (MW/h) DC Battery Storage Facility.
• The commencement of the biggest investment in Jamaica’s history in irrigation, with some US$250 million invested into the Essex Valley Irrigation Scheme and Pedro Plains Irrigation Project.

Minister Samuda noted that these projects are a national priority to improve food security.

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