The Government has allocated just over $1.9 billion to the Jamaica Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project, which seeks to strengthen the country’s resilience against disasters and climate risks. This is outlined in the 2020/21 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. For the upcoming fiscal year, the project aims to complete construction of fire stations in Montego Bay (St....

Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL) will be undertaking a number of projects in the new fiscal year to improve access to water for residents of several communities across the island. This is through allocation of $528 million by the Government to the Construction/Maintenance of Water Supply Systems initiative. As outlined in the 2020/2021 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House...

Approximately $3.76 billion has been earmarked to continue the Montego Bay Perimeter Road project during the upcoming fiscal year. The sum is set aside in the 2020/21 Estimates of Expenditure, which were tabled in the House of Representatives on February 11. The development will entail construction of a 15-kilometre four-lane carriageway from Ironshore to Bogue in Montego Bay, and rehabilitation...

A total of $239 million has been set aside for the Improvement of the Emergency Communication System in Jamaica (IECSJ) project. Details are outlined in the 2020/2021 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project, which is being implemented by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), is to develop a national emergency communication system...

The Government has allocated $35.2 million towards strengthening the disaster risk management capacity of the Portmore Municipal Council. Details are outlined in the 2020/2021 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The objective is to build disaster resilience in Portmore, which, due to its location, geology and socio-economic factors, is considered to be one of the most vulnerable...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, has expressed appreciation to the United States (US) for the assistance provided to the island over the years in the area of disaster and humanitarian response. “We really appreciate the efforts of the United States, and we want to continue to forge that deep working relationship and to benefit from...

The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development will be constructing three new state-of-the-art fire stations in the parishes of St. Thomas, St. Mary and St. James in 2020/21, under the Fire Safety and Protection Programme. In addition, four fire stations in Black River; Falmouth; Ocho Rios and St. Ann’s Bay are to be renovated during the year. Details were...