Funds Allocated to Foreign Affairs Ministry Relocation

A sum of $82.8 million has been allocated in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure to assist with the relocation process of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade moving to downtown Kingston.

Relocation of the Ministry is to contribute to the redevelopment of the downtown area, and to exclude the Government from the high cost of office rental in New Kingston, where the Ministry is currently located.

The current transition process involves development of plans to ensure customized office facilities for the Ministry, which will adequately support its needs of accommodation of staff, meeting and conference facilities, and waiting areas for diplomats and other visitors.

To date, the project has seen the completion of feasibility studies, completion of storm surge studies, bathymetric and topographic surveys; geological survey, and a review of the schematic design of the building.

Also, it has completed procurement for land acquisition, transfer of ownership of land from the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, while preliminary design completed by the Chinese, part financiers of the project, has been reviewed by local consultants.