POST CABINET REPORT For Wednesday, January 20, 2021

POST CABINET REPORT For Wednesday, January 20, 2021


Below are the decisions from Cabinet:

  1. Approval for the project to strengthen the Intellectual Property Ecosystem to Increase Innovation Competitiveness and Growth in Jamaica 

Cabinet gave approval for the strengthening of the Intellectual Property Ecosystems to increase innovation, competiveness and growth in Jamaica Project to be included in the Public Sector Investment Programme. The creation, protection and utilization of intellectual property rights play an important role in the national innovation ecosystem and promoting national competiveness. The project is part of a broader effort of the Government of Jamaica to improve the local business climate and to increase support for promoting an increase in the number of innovative micro, small and medium-sized enterprises contributing to economic growth. The project proposes to strengthen the intellectual property ecosystem in Jamaica by helping to create the conditions for the monetisation of intellectual property specifically collateralisation. The project is to be executed by the Inter-American Development Bank and Compete Caribbean and implemented by the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office.

  1. Sale of Lot 4 Fairymead Farm (Ariguanabo) St. Catherine

Cabinet gave approval for the sale of Lot 4 Fairymead Farm (the Ariguanabo property) in St. Catherine to Musson Jamaica Limited for industrial use at a cost of $187 million. Cabinet also approved the transfer of the proceeds from the sale of the property to the G.C Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, to be invested for further development of the college. The property is to be converted into an industrial park for manufacturing goods/warehousing of food and beverage products and/or BPO.

  1. Approval of support and interim procedure for the contribution towards legal fees for members of the JCF

Cabinet gave approval for the contribution of $21 million towards the legal fees of five members of the JCF. The Cabinet approval also includes the establishment of an interim procedure for the management of contribution to legal expenses incurred by members of the JCF for actions taken during lawfully assigned duties, pending the finalisation of a formal policy by the Ministry of National Security.

It is important to note that from a previous Cabinet submission it was agreed that the Government would not be paying the legal fees for police officers with cases before the courts but would contribute to the Legal Defence Fund for the police officers. A Legal Defence Fund had been established through the Heads of Agreement for the contract period 2012 to 2015 between the GoJ and the five police groups, the agreement allowed an injection of $20 million to start the fund. Under the 2017 to 2019 Heads of Agreement between the Government and the Jamaica Police Federation it was agreed that under the heading ‘Legal Defence Fund’ the GoJ was prepared to provide the necessary legal support for rank and file members brought before the court, resulting from the legal challenges arising from the execution of their duties.

  1. Force Majeure Claims submitted by the operators of the Norman Manley International Airport and the Sangster International Airport arising from the novel Corona virus pandemic

Cabinet gave approval for suspension of the payment by MBJ Airports Limited (MBJ) operators of Sangster International Airport of the monthly base concession fee in the amount of US four hundred and seventy three thousand dollars (US$473,000.00) for the period April 1 2020 to December 31 2020 resulting in a total waiver of the US four million two hundred and fifty seven thousand dollars (US$4,257,000.00) and 

2) The waiver of interest payable by PAC Kingston Airport limited (operators of Norman Manley International Airport) on deferred concession fee payments over the period March 2020-May 2020. The onset of the Covid19 pandemic had significantly impacted the operations at the two major international airports commencing with restrictions imposed on travelling to and from several countries. Both airports reported a significant drop in air traffic. 

  1. Proclamation of Sam Sharpe Day on December 27, 2020

Cabinet gave approval for the proclamation of Sam Sharpe Day on December 27, 2020 as part of the processes to bring greater national awareness to the work and significance of the Right Excellent Samuel Sharpe, National Hero. The Rt. Excellent Sam Sharpe had often been described as the least celebrated National Hero as many Jamaicans seemed to be unaware of the contribution of Sam Sharpe to freedom in Jamaica. In order to bring more national focus to the commemoration of the life of Sam Sharpe, the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport intended to create an instrument to direct greater focus on Sam Sharpe. The date of December 27 would commemorate the Christmas Rebellion for which he was renowned; Sam Sharpe Day is not proposed to be a public holiday.

  1. Reports  

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

    • The Financial Investigations Division – 2016/2017
    • Certified Appropriation Account- Auditor General’s Department – 2013/2014
    • Devon House Development Limited (DHDL) – 2019/2020
    • Land Divestment – 2019/2020
    • Runaway Bay Water Company Limited – 2013/2014
    • The Toll Authority – 2018/2019 
    • Management Institute for National Development (MIND) – 2019/2020
    • Jamaica Social Investment Fund JSIF 2019/2020
    • Annual report for eGov Jamaica Limited 2019/2020
    • Universal Service Fund 2019/2020
  1. Award of Contract
  • Cabinet gave approval for the award of a contract for stabilisation works along the Chovey Road in St. Mary to Surrey Paving and Aggregate Company Limited in the amount of three hundred and twenty one million, three hundred and forty seven thousand, six hundred and fifty five dollars and sixty cents ($321,347,655.60). The payment of a mobilisation advance, with surety was also approved to Surrey Paving and Aggregate in the amount of seventy million six hundred and ninety six thousand four hundred and eighty four dollars and twenty three cents ($70,696,484.23) which was 22% of the contract price.
  • Cabinet gave approval for the award of a contract in the amount of one hundred and four million, two hundred and sixty seven thousand, five hundred and seventy dollars and thirty two cents ($104,267,570.32) inclusive of GCT to Cheetah Toys and More LLC for the supply and delivery of information and communications technology (ICT) equipment under the Alternative Pathway for Secondary Education Programme (APSE).
  • Cabinet gave approval for the award of a contract to Cambridge Resources International Incorporated in the amount of US nine hundred and ninety seven thousand six hundred and eight dollars and sixty nine cents (US$997,608.69) for the design, supply and installation of a Public Investment Management Information System (PMIS).
  • Cabinet gave approval for the award of a contract to Y.P Seaton and Associates Company Limited in the amount of one hundred and seventy nine million, five hundred forty thousand, three hundred and fifty dollars ($179, 540,350.00) for the supply of materials and provision of shoreline construction works at Annotto Bay in St. Mary under the Government of Jamaica/Adaptation Fund Programme (GoJ/AFP).
  • Cabinet gave approval for the award of contract on behalf of the National Housing Trust to J.H Dunstan and Associates Limited in the amount of six hundred and forty nine thousand three hundred and ninety five thousand seven hundred and fifty two dollars and six cents ($649,395,752.06) to construct a sewage treatment plant at Perth Housing Development, Phase 2 in Manchester.
  • Cabinet gave approval for the award of a contract on behalf of the National Water Commission to Champion Industrial Equipment and Supplies Limited in the amount of seventy seven million seven hundred and ten thousand two hundred and eighty five dollars ($77,710,285.00)  for the Kencot (South Avenue ) Lyndhurst Road, Melrose Avenue Sewage Improvement Works.
  • Cabinet gave approval for the variation of contract on behalf of the Port Authority of Jamaica for maintenance services for the X-Ray Scanning Machine at the Kingston Freeport Terminal. The original contract amount was US one million dollars. The variation is in the amount of US four hundred and thirty thousand dollars (US$430,000.00) to Nuctech Company Limited.
  • Cabinet gave approval for the award of a contract to Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited in the amount of US four hundred and three thousand five hundred and sixty eight dollars and ninety one cents (US$403,568.91) for the purchase of a voice-over internet protocol (Avaya Aura Release 8) for implementation at the offices of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security island wide.
  • Cabinet gave approval for the variation of contract for the rehabilitation programme air conditioning and ventilation works at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) to Arel Limited.  The initial contract value was five hundred and twelve million seven hundred and seventy nine thousand nine hundred and eighty one dollars and seventy cents ($512,779,981.70) with a revision amount of six hundred and sixty one million nine hundred and fifty four thousand one hundred and seventy three dollars and forty eight cents ($661,954,173.48)
  • Cabinet gave approval for the variation of contract for rehabilitation programme Phase 2A, demolition and structural repairs to levels 7 to 9 at the Cornwall Regional Hospital to D.T Brown Construction Limited/Sinopharm Pan-Caribbean Limited JV. The initial contract value was  eighty million two hundred and ninety seven thousand nine hundred and ninety eight dollars and eighty cents ($82,297,998.80) the revision now stands at one hundred and eleven million eight hundred and four thousand nine hundred and nineteen dollars and seventy one cents ($111,804,919.71)
  • Cabinet gave approval for the award of contract to M and M Jamaica Limited for the renovation of the lecture room and Gomm’s Officers’ Mess as part of the Newcastle Redevelopment Project for the Jamaica Defence Force in the amount of one hundred and forty six million four hundred and twenty thousand three hundred and fifty four dollars and sixty cents ($146,420,354.60)

-END-

 

Contact:

The Honourable Fayval Williams 

Minister of Education, Youth and Information

[email protected]