Cabinet Approves Chemical Treatment Contract at Petrojam

Cabinet has approved the award of a US$398,000 (J$35.4 million) contract to GE Betz Incorporation, to provide chemical treatment services to Petrojam, from October 1, 2009 to September 20, 2010.
Making the announcement at today’s (October 7) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon. Daryl Vaz, explained that chemical treatment programmes are routine for refineries and are aimed at mitigating accelerated corrosion and scale formation in heat exchange equipment and process vessels.
Meanwhile, Cabinet also approved the $14 million sale of 2.8 million square metres of land at Fisherman’s Beach property in Falmouth, to the Port Authority of Jamaica. The sale is being made by the Trelawny Parish Council, following a proposal to Cabinet by Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, for the transaction.
The land will be used for the redevelopment of the port of Falmouth. “Cabinet approved the sale on condition that recommendations from the Natural Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) were fully implemented and clearly specified in the sale agreement, and that any structure to be erected conformed to normal approval requirements, and was acceptable to the Parish Council,” Mr. Vaz told journalists.
On another matter, Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Understanding and an air services agreement, between Jamaica and the Republic of Singapore. The main negotiations for the agreement took place between July 27 and 28 this year, in Kingston.
“The agreement would enable the facilitation of the expansion of international air service opportunities, recognising that efficient and competitive international air services enhance trade, the welfare of consumers, and economic growth,” Mr. Vaz outlined.
He advised that at the September 28 meeting of the Cabinet, Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson, reported on plans for 2009 to 2112 for the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA); the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA), and the Private Security Regulation Authority (PSRA).
“The Ministry advised of strategies for the introduction of increased and additional fees for services provided in order to cover costs and to generate surpluses, which would result in the FLA and PICA becoming self-financing in the 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 fiscal years,” Mr. Vaz said.
Cabinet also instructed the PSRA to revise their plans to ensure full self-financing in the 2010/2011 financial year. The Minister noted, however, that the PSRA would continue to need budgetary support in the 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 fiscal years, with the level of support expected to decline during the period.