Ministry of Water and Housing to Partner with Chinese to Provide Low Income Housing Solutions for Jamaicans

The Ministry of Water and Housing and its agency, the Housing Agency of Jamaica, are seeking to partner with the Chinese Firm Complant International Engineering and Development Corporation, to build low income housing solutions for Jamaicans.
The HAJ and Complant have had several discussions on the matter, and have agreed, in principle, to plan, design and build between one thousand and two thousand housing solutions.
The parties met recently, with Minister of Water and Housing, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, and Permanent Secretary Mrs. Genefa Hibbert, at the Ministry’s New Kingston Offices on Dominica Drive.
During the Meeting, Dr. Chang said that the Ministry could pinpoint several locations to build the solutions on lands it already owns. It was agreed that a Memorandum of Understanding, will be drafted for signature between the parties. The Housing Agency of Jamaica, would provide Complant with a concept and timelines for planning, designing and building the project.which is to be funded by way of a concessionary loan from the Chinese Government.
The Housing Minister told the delegation from Complant, that the Ministry is currently in the process of putting together a National Housing Programme. He stated that there is a pressing need for new solutions to meet the demand backlog in Jamaica, adding that the current shortage had led to the growth of hundreds of informal settlements islandwide.
Minister Chang said he was looking forward to working with Complant, to provide housing solutions for Jamaicans and expressed confidence that working together, the parties could provide much more than the 1000 to 2000 housing solutions which were discussed.
Chairman of the HAJ David Chung, gave the assurance that the agency would do whatever it could to move the process forward. He said the first project to be undertaken would serve as a model to see how best the HAJ could work closely with Complant, to fulfil the pressing need for housing. Vice President of Complant, Qu Wenge, who led the team from that company, pointed to the good relations between Jamaica and China.
Mr. Qu noted that the mission of the delegation, headed by Vice President of the Peoples’ Republic of China, His Excellency, Xi Jinping, who paid an official visit to Jamaica last week, was to deepen the relations between the two countries, as well as explore areas for further co-operation.
Minister Chang replied that Jamaica was honoured by the visit of the Chinese Vice President, and looked forward to working more closely with the Chinese.
Complant International Engineering and Development Corporation was integral to the construction of the Trelawny Multi Purpose Stadium, which was one of the venues selected to host the 2007 Cricket World Cup.