Senate Approves Public Procurement National Development Project Order And Resolution 2021

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of National Security, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project is expected to advance the development of and accelerate economic growth in the area.

The Project, to be executed by China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC), will comprise works relating to the Montego Bay Perimeter Road; the Barnett Street/West Green Avenue Road Rehabilitation; the Long Hill Bypass; and a Comprehensive Drainage Study of the Montego Bay Bypass.

“It is expected that the Project will open up new areas to the south of Montego Bay for further development and expansion, in particular giving access to lands for housing, considered to be a critical area, given the growth in the population of Montego Bay and its surrounding communities,” Senator Samuda said.

His was speaking after tabling the Public Procurement (National Development Project) (Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project) Order, 2021, and the Public Procurement (National Development Project) (Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project) Order, 2021, Resolution in the Senate recently.

Senator Samuda said the Project is also expected to result in improved accessibility to places of employment and increased productivity for businesses due to a reduction in work time lost as a result of traffic congestion.

It is also expected that there will be improved access to educational, health and other services.

“The Government considers this project to be one of significant importance to not only Montego Bay but to the nation,” the Minister added.

Senator Samuda noted that the Order and Resolution marked a milestone in Jamaica’s public procurement landscape.

This, he pointed out, as the Order “represents the very first… being made, pursuant to the Public Procurement Act, which this Government is seeking to have affirmed… to declare a project a national development project”.

Key stipulations of the Order include the development’s exemption from provisions under the Public Procurement Act, once approved as a National Development Project; recruiting a minimum 90 per cent Jamaicans to undertake unskilled construction work and 50 per cent for technical jobs, and collaboration between CHEC and HEART/NSTA Trust to develop and implement a training programme for the transfer of knowledge and technology to Jamaicans.

Senator Samuda said these stipulations aim to ensure that the project will engage a significant proportion of Jamaican workers and, further, that those Jamaican workers considered suitable candidates will benefit from technology and knowledge transfer from non-national workers who will be involved in the development.

Additionally, Senator Samuda said compensatory protection is provided to Jamaican workers on the project, as payments to locals are to be made in accordance with the Joint Industrial Council-negotiated standard wage rates and conditions of employment.

The Order and Resolution declaring the Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project a National Development Project was approved by the Senate.

Other contributors to the debate included Senators Leslie Campbell, Kavan Gayle, and Charles Sinclair.