POST CABINET REPORT For Wednesday, January 05, 2022

POST CABINET REPORT For Wednesday, January 05, 2022


Below are the decisions from Cabinet:

1. National Housing Trust Special Benefit Order – The Estuary, Phase 2, Housing Development, St. James

Cabinet gave approval for the promulgation of a Special Benefit Order, effective 30 July 2021, to facilitate the allocation of 178 housing solutions at the Estuary, Phase 2, Housing Development in St. James, to contributors to the National Housing Trust.   Cabinet also gave approval for two persons from the disabled community to be included in the reservation of 50 solutions for persons whose income placed them in the 0% income band, and who would be allowed to join with individuals in higher income bands for the purpose of affordability; and for the issuance of drafting instructions to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel to facilitate the promulgation of the said Special Benefit Order.

2. The European Union-Latin America and the Caribbean (EU-LAC) International Women’s Network

Cabinet gave approval for the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade to participate as a member of the Advisory Board of the International Women’s Network, an initiative of the European Union-Latin America and the Caribbean (EU-LAC) International Foundation. The EU-LAC International Women’s Network is an initiative of the President of the EU-LAC Foundation, acting as a bi-regional platform to support the international commitments of the two regions around the gender agenda. The principal goal of the International Women’s network is the promotion of public policies of international scope for the generation of gender equality and equity environments in Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Union. 

3. The Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Suppression and Punishment) (Amendment) Act, 2021

Cabinet gave approval for the Bill entitled “The Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Suppression and Punishment) (Amendment) Act, 2021” to be introduced in the Houses in Parliament. 

The principal Act is being amended to deal with fines and penalties.  

4. Amendment to the Agricultural Produce Act

Cabinet gave approval for the amendment of the Agricultural Produce Act   in order to strengthen and modernize this legislation for the purpose of effectively regulating trade and movement of agricultural produce;

Cabinet also gave approval for consequential amendment to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority Act to empower the Rural Agricultural Development Authority to collect payment in relation to the proposed amendments, consequential amendment to the Praedial Larceny (Prevention) Act to make the definition of agricultural produce consistent with the Agricultural Produce Act, as amended; and the issuance of drafting instructions to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel.

5. Proposal for the Acquisition of the Leasehold Interest in Property Owned by the Commissioner of Lands

Cabinet gave approval for the acquisition of the leasehold interest for the unexpired term of the lease in property located at 24 Grove Road in Mandeville, Manchester at a cost of ten million, four hundred and thirty five thousand dollars ($10,435,000.00) for the purpose of relocating the Manchester Justice Centre. The Ministry of Justice seeks to improve the physical infrastructure involved in the delivery of justice services to the people of Jamaica and is in the process of increasing access to justice services across the country. The justice centres will be equipped to handle justice-related matters, such as child diversion, restorative justice and dispute resolution and will serve as a point of contact between Custodes and Justices of the Peace. Cabinet also gave approval for the reassigning of the said property to the Ministry of Justice. 

8. Reports 

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

  • Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements of the Toll Authority for the 2019/2020 Financial Year
  • Annual Report of the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) for the financial year 2014/2015
  • Annual Report of the SCJ Holdings Limited for the Year Ended 31 March 2015
  • Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) for the Year Ended 31 March 2019
  • Annual Report and Audited Financial Statement of Devon House Development Limited (DHDL) for the Year 2020/202
  • Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements of the Kingston Container Terminal (KCT) Services Limited for the Three-Month Period April 2016 to June 2016 of the 2016/2017 Financial Year

9. Contracts 

  • Cabinet ratified Variation No. 3 of a contract by the Port Authority of Jamaica to MZ Holdings Limited in the amount of twenty-six million, eight hundred and seventy-two thousand, eight hundred and sixty-four dollars and twenty cents ($26,872,864.20) for the provision of security and dispatching services at the Port of Ocho Rios (Ocho Rios Cruise Ship Terminal and Ocho Rios Fishing Village) and environs of the Falmouth Cruise Ship Terminal for the period 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021.
  • Cabinet also approved Variation No. 4 of a contract by the Port Authority of Jamaica to MZ Holdings Limited in the amount of seven million, two hundred and sixty-nine thousand, one hundred and seventy-seven dollars and sixty cents ($7,269,177.60), including General Consumption Tax for the provision of security services at the Ocho Rios Cruise Ship Terminal and Ocho Rios Fishing Village for the six-month period 1 September 2021 to 28 February 2022 on a 24-hour per day basis. 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the provision of security guard services to the locations of the Transport Authority for a period of three years, in the amount of three hundred six million, one hundred and seventy-eight thousand, six hundred and sixty-eight dollars ($306,178,668.00), inclusive of GCT, to Marksman Limited. 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the continued provision of consulting services for the Compensation Review for the Government of Jamaica in the amount of US$ nine hundred and fifty-nine thousand, ninety-four dollars and thirty-six cents (US$959,094.36), excluding taxes, to Ernst & Young Services Limited.
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the provision of ships handling/marine services for Petrojam for a period of three years in the amount of two hundred and sixty-eight million, six hundred and twenty-eight thousand, four hundred and eighty-seven dollars ($268,628,487.00), inclusive of GCT, to A. E. Parnell Company Limited. 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract by the Factories Corporation of Jamaica for the construction of two two-storey mini warehouses at the Garmex Free Zone (GFZ) Complex, in the parish of Kingston, in the amount of three hundred and thirty-eight million dollars ($338,000,000.00) to Tank-Weld Limited. 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract by the Urban Development Corporation for the provision of external auditing services for the Urban Development Corporation and its subsidiaries for a period of three years ending 31 March 2021, 2022 and 2023, in the amount of seventy-two million, seven hundred and twenty-two thousand, six hundred and sixty-eight dollars ($72,722,668.00), inclusive of taxes, to PricewaterhouseCoopers. 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the renewal of insurance coverage for the Jamaica Urban Transit Company Limited (JUTC) through Marathon Insurance Brokers Limited (MIB) for the period 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2022, with the recommended insurers being Advantage General Insurance Company and Lloyds Insurance of London, and premiums as set out below:
    • Placement of US$ Denominated Policies – US$ nine hundred and twenty-two dollars, eight hundred and forty-nine dollars (US$922,849.00).
    • Placement of J$ Denominated Policies – J$ twenty-nine million, three hundred and eighty-four thousand, six hundred and thirty-four dollars (J$29,384,634.00).
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the provision of operational staff uniforms for the Jamaica Urban Transit Company Limited (JUTC) for the periods 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 in the amount of eighty-nine million, eight hundred and thirty-three thousand, five hundred and forty-five dollars and seventy-five cents ($89,833,545.75), inclusive of GCT, to Fifth Avenue Traders Limited. 
  • Cabinet approved the variation of a contract for the provision of security services at health facilities in St. Mary and Portland for a period of one year, in the amount of fifty-three million, three hundred and twenty-one thousand, four hundred and sixteen dollars and seventy-six cents ($53,321,416.76) to Shalk Electronic Security Limited. 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the provision of marketing and advertising services in the global tourist market space, for a period of three years from 1 December 2021 to 30 November 2024, in the amount of US$ forty-one million, eight hundred and twenty thousand dollars (US$41,820,000.00) to Accenture Interactive (Accenture Marketing Services LLC). 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract in the amount of US$ two million, two hundred and forty-three thousand, fifty-five dollars and ninety-nine cents (US$2,243,055.99), inclusive of GCT for the provision of 11,500 tablets by e-Learning Jamaica Company Limited to Productive Business Solutions Limited. 
  • Cabinet approved the award of a contract by e-Learning Jamaica Company Limited on behalf of the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) for the provision of 7,525 tablets for use in the conduct of the 2022 Population and Housing Census, in the amount of US$ two million, three hundred and nineteen thousand, two hundred and five dollars (US$2,319,205.00), inclusive of GCT to Smart Mobile Solutions Ja Limited. 

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Contact:

The Honourable Fayval Williams 

Minister of Education, Youth and Information

[email protected]