Cabinet Approves Award of Port Authority Contract

Cabinet has given approval for the Port Authority of Jamaica to enter into a follow-on maintenance contract with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) of California in the United States.
Speaking at Wednesday’s (Nov. 5) post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Senator Dwight Nelson, said the contract, valued at US$1.35 million, is for the maintenance of five mobile and five pallet machines and cargo inspection security, deployed at the ports of Kingston and Montego Bay. This contract is to be implemented over a 14-month period.
Explaining the rationale for the contract being awarded to an overseas firm, Mr. Nelson said: “There is no company, independent of that company that is licensed or certified to carry out this maintenance work.”
Senator Nelson advised that Cabinet also gave approval for a contract for just over $71 million, to be awarded to A.S. Edwards and Associates, for the supply of galvanized wires, under the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Tropical Strom Gustav Works Programme, for the purposes of river training.
“As you all know, the drainage systems in Jamaica are usually affected, in the event of unstable weather.. tropical storms; river courses are often altered, and there is need to re-train (the river). In order to do this, there is need to create mattresses to re-train the river courses, and these galvanized wires are necessary for this programme,” the Minister outlined.
He also informed that approval was given for the awarding of a contract, in the sum of $40.5 million, by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), to Alcar Construction and Haulage Company Limited, for the provision of an infrastructure package for the community of Bucknor.
The community is one of 12 in Kingston, St. Catherine, Clarendon, and St. James, which are being targeted to have their basic needs addressed under the Inner City Basic Services Programme (ICBSP), a comprehensive project, being administered by the JSIF.