Cabinet Approves Contract Variations

KINGSTON — Cabinet approved a $220,205,781.48 variation to a contract awarded to Diving and Salvaging Limited for civil engineering works on Petrojam’s Limited main dock on Marcus Garvey Drive, Kingston.

This was disclosed by Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon. Daryl Vaz, during Wednesday’s (October 19) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

The amount, plus an additional $15,531,825.08 contingency to the $124,945,877 contract for associated works, will increase the contract amount to $360,683,493.56.

Minister Vaz explained that the variation of the contract and the resulting increased cost, are due to several unforeseen circumstances that caused an upward revision in the scope and volume of the work to repair the dock.

These include splicing of existing piles, provision of additional piles, removal of debris, putting in additional beams and relocating the existing board platform and a metal walkway decking.

On June 1, 2009 the ship M/T Great News was transporting crude oil to the Petrojam Refinery when it crashed into the company’s dock.

Also, Cabinet approved a US$372,997.28 variation to a contract awarded to Mico University College for the provision of technology integrating training and development services under the e-learning project.

The variation will increase the contract amount from US$2,253,750 to US$2,626,747.28. “It will result in the training of additional 662 persons for various reasons, who were not accommodated in the first batch trained,” Mr. Vaz informed.

By Chris Patterson, JIS Reporter