POST CABINET REPORT for February 9, 2022

POST CABINET REPORT for February 9, 2022

Posted on by OPM Communications

Below are the decisions from Cabinet:

  1. National Irrigation Commission (NIC) as the Irrigation Authority for the next 30 years

Cabinet gave approval for the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries to license the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) as the Irrigation Authority for a period of 30 years, subject to affirmative resolution. Cabinet gave further approval for the promulgation of legislation to validate all acts executed in good faith by the NIC, as the Irrigation Authority, in the absence of the requisite license pursuant to section 4 of the Irrigation Act, for the period commencing 11 July 2021 to the date of gazetting of a new order to duly license the NIC; to indemnify the NIC and its officers against any liability that may be incurred as a result of NIC operating as the Irrigation Authority, in good faith, but without the requisite license, during the relevant period and the issuing of drafting instructions to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel.

  1. The Construction of the St. Catherine North Police Divisional Headquarters

Cabinet gave approval for the inclusion of the construction of the St. Catherine North Police Divisional Headquarters in the Public Sector Investment Programme and for the provision of fiscal space to support its implementation. The estimated cost of constructing the headquarters was $1.808 billion, inclusive of $107.5 million for the cost of the land; the construction period was estimated to be 18 months and is anticipated to commence in the financial year 2022/2023, and the necessary consultations were done.

  1. Housing Agency of Jamaica Limited (HAJL) to remove the 100 one-bedroom starter housing units from the Shooters Hill Project (renamed Hellshire View)

Cabinet gave approval for the Housing Agency of Jamaica Limited to remove the 100 one-bedroom starter housing units from the Shooters Hill Project (renamed Hellshire View) and replace them with two-bedroom (one-bathroom) units, in keeping with the approval of the Shooters Hill Joint Venture Committee, to maintain the financial viability of the project and optimise the highest and best use of the location.

  1. Improvement of Emergency Communications System in Jamaica Project

Cabinet gave approval for the recommendation of the Project Steering Committee for the Improvement of Emergency Communications System in Jamaica Project, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, to proceed with implementation of the project with present technical and functional design specifications.

  1. Declaration of the Cockpit Country Protected Area 

Cabinet gave approval through specific policy directives that would declare the boundaries of the Cockpit Country Protected Area as well as the environmental permits related to Special Mining Lease 173 to be issued to Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partner II under the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act, 1991.

  1. Global Environment Facility (GEF) Project entitled “Conserving Biodiversity and Reducing Land Degradation Using an Integrated Approach Project” (Cockpit Country Project).

Cabinet gave approval for the Government of Jamaica/United Nations Development Programme/Global Environment Facility Project valued at US$49.4 million entitled “Conserving Biodiversity and Reducing Land Degradation Using an Integrated Approach” to be implemented over a six-year period commencing in the 2022/2023 financial year. The Cabinet also approved the Government’s co-financing commitment (in-kind and cash) to the Project of US$43.1 million; and 

the provision of the requisite fiscal space in the 2022/2023 financial year and forward years to facilitate implementation of project activities.

  1. Acquisition of Parcels of Land Required for Road Improvement Works Under the Capital Expenditure Programme Utilising the Provisions of the Land Acquisition Act  

Cabinet gave approval for the National Land Agency to acquire approximately 96 parcels of land with 10 structures, with an estimated area of take of 57,343.80 square metres (sq. m) in the parishes of St. Catherine and Kingston and St. Andrew; utilising the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act. The parcels of land were needed for the Government of Jamaica’s Capital Expenditure Programme  being implemented by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, acting through the National Works Agency; and the location boundaries, which correspond with the approximately 57,343.80 sq. m of lands. Cabinet also gave approval for the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to finance the acquisition of these lands acquisition in the amount of $1,239,473,040.00 as a pre-investment cost.

  1. Establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee on matters related to Jamaica’s cyber domain.

Cabinet gave approval for the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee on matters relating to Jamaica’s Cyber domain. The Committee would serve as a centralised mechanism for coordinating the sharing of views among stakeholders of the public and private sectors. The establishment of the Committee became necessary as the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in organisations both public and private having to rapidly transition to cyberspace utilising technology systems to provide goods and services to consumers to reduce the effects of the economic fallout. The strain on the existing information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and Internet Service Providers highlighted the technological voids that existed in several communities and districts across the country. The  Inter-Ministerial Committee would facilitate scheduled discussions on matters germane to the area and provide a mechanism that would be agile in maintaining the principle of inclusivity in situations of great urgency.  

  1.   The purchase of additional lands for the provision of parking for the Morant Bay Urban Centre Project in St. Thomas. 

Cabinet gave approval for the purchase of 10.33 acres of lands being part of the land comprised in Certificate of Title registered at Volume 1478 Folio 652 of the Register Book of Titles, by the Factories Corporation Limited for the provision of parking as part of the Morant Bay Urban Centre at a value of $90 million from Stanton Estates Limited.

  1.     Reports

Cabinet received and approved the following annual reports and/or financial statements to be tabled in Parliament:  

  • Annual Report Annual Reports of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) for the years ended 31 March 2018 and 31 March 2019
  • Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements of the Montego Bay Convention Centre (MBCC) for the financial year 2018/2019
  • Annual Report of the National Health Fund (NHF) for the financial year 2020/2021
  • Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements of the Montego Bay Metro Company Limited for the Financial Year 2009/2010.
  • Annual Report of the Registrar General’s Department and Audited Financial Statements for the 2019/2020 Financial Year.
  1. Contracts
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the Greater Mandeville Water Supply Improvement Project Phase 1B-3 – Hopeton Road to Waltham Road Transmission Main Replacement, Manchester in the amount of $84,157,830.00.00 by the National Water Commission to Jamaica Drip Irrigation Limited.
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the Renewal of Microsoft Enrollment for Education Solutions (EES) in the amount of US$1,006,066.51 to Inova Solutions Limited.
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract to undertake renovation works for office spaces located at 21 Dominica Drive, Kingston 5 in the amount of $253,246,074.25 by the Accountant General’s Department to MLO Services Limited.
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the construction of two hundred (200) two-bedroom and one-bedroom detached units and fifty (50) service lots with the associated site works at Luana Gardens 4, Phase 3, St. Elizabeth in the amount of $1,920,945,034.00 by the Housing Agency of Jamaica Limited to Marshall Construction Company Limited.  
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the construction of one hundred and forty two (142) semi-detached, 2-storey, 2-bedroom, 2.5 bathrooms and six (6) stand-alone housing units on 5.6 hectares of land registered at Volume 1491 Folios 323 and 324 at Reid’s Pen, St. Catherine in the amount of $1,750,120,815.96, inclusive of provisional sums and contingencies, by the Housing Agency of Jamaica Limited to NF Barnes Construction and Equipment Company Limited.
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract, in the amount of $77,043,474.00, to Pyramid Jamaica (Consulting) Engineers for the provision of construction supervision services for the Southern Plains Agricultural Development Project (SPAD) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.  
  • Cabinet approved the variation to a contract for the supply and installation of pumps and pump houses at the Ebony Park/Spring Plain Agro Park, in the amount of $8,766,149.14 including interest, to Champion Industrial Equipment and Supplies Limited.  
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the supply and installation of pipelines, fittings, meters and the construction of farm access roads, drains and flood protection works in Bridge Pen/Amity Hall, St. Catherine for the Southern Plains Agricultural Development Project (SPAD) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, in the amount of US$12,836,276.69 to M and M Jamaica Limited. 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a follow-on contract for the procurement of two hundred thousand (200,000) blank passports for the existing “Version 2013” design, in the amount of US$1,140,000.00 to the Canadian Bank Note Company Limited.  
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the procurement of three hundred and twenty (320) Firefighters’ Protective Clothing for the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), in the amount of $114,890,718.50 inclusive of General Consumption Tax, to Bell Safety Limited. 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract by e-Learning Jamaica Company Limited (e-LJam) for the provision of 13,500 tablets, for an amount not exceeding US$2,848,837.50 inclusive of General Consumption Tax, to Royale Computers and Accessories Limited.  
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the provision of blank certified copies of vital records (security paper) for a period of three (3) years, in the amount of US$614,250.00, to Veridos GmbH. 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the digitisation of vital records (birth, marriage, death and deed poll) consultancy at the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), in the amount of US$4,149,891.31 exclusive of General Consumption Tax, to Fujitsu Caribbean (Jamaica) Limited. 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the modernisation and upgrade of elevators at the Bank of Jamaica, in the amount of US$1,158,197.00 inclusive of General Consumption Tax, to Jamaica Electrical and Mechanic Engineers Limited.
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the supply, installation, commissioning and maintenance of closed-circuit television surveillance system at the Horizon Adult Remand Centre and the Department of Correctional Services Head Office, in the amount of $125,946,257.01 to KingAlarm Systems Limited.