ACHIEVEMENTS 2017
Strong Performance
Building prosperity through
partnership
4
3
T
he Government made
changes to its housing
policy, to make home
ownership a reality for more
Jamaicans.
• The National Housing Trust
(NHT) loan ceiling was
increased from $4.5 million
to $5.5 million; interest
rates on mortgages for
lower-income groups
reduced; 100 per cent
financing for all NHT units
implemented; home
grants improved; special
grant of $150,000 for
persons with disabilities,
to retrofit their houses.
• Ground broken for 13
housing developments
under the NHT.
• Housing Schemes in
progress include Ruthven
Towers, St. Andrew;
Colbeck Castle 1 and 2 in
Clarendon/St. Catherine;
Longville 2A and Mony-
musk 2 in Clarendon;
Barham, Darliston,
Masemure, Yeast Plant
and Shrewsbury in Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness with beneficiaries of Nashville Mews in St. Mary.
Westmoreland; and The
Estuary and Cashew aica (HAJ), broke ground • NHT and HAJ delivered • NHT and HAJ handed 44 Operation Pride
Grove in St. James. for phase two Luana Gar- a total of 164 housing over 607 certificates of schemes islandwide.
Housing Agency of Jam- dens in St. Elizabeth. solutions. title to beneficiaries in Cont’d on page 3
T
he Government under the • Work began on the improve-
Ministry of Economic ment of 4.8 kilometres of
Growth and Job Creation main road from Agualta
capitalised on the boom in Vale to Broadgate in St.
the business process out- Mary under a J$597 million
sourcing (BPO) industry, facili- contract with Surrey
tating a number of investments Paving and Aggregate
to create increased job oppor- Company Limited.
tunities for Jamaicans.
• Work was done in eight
Job Creation sections of St. Elizabeth
• In late September, Prime as part of a $7.7 million
Minister the Most Hon. National Works Agency
Andrew Holness broke (NWA) hot mix patching
ground for a US$30 million programme.
technology park in Kingston.
Dubbed ‘58HWT’, the • The Government spent
park will have the largest $3.6 billion on 24 medium-
BPO facility in the English- sized road projects,
speaking Caribbean, pro- including the Mona Road
viding 3,300 call centre Rehabilitation and Drainage
seats and more than Improvement Project,
5,000 permanent jobs. Sandy Gully repairs and
Ocho Rios bypass.
• The Prime Minister broke
ground for construction Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (right) is accompanied by General Manager of • A sum of $1.33 billion
of the Excellence Group’s Alorica, Clarence Cardwell, on a tour of the business process outsourcing company, formerly West was allotted through the
Oyster Bay Hotel in Corporation, which operates out of the Portmore Informatics Park in St. Catherine. Alorica Road Maintenance Fund
has more than 1,000 employees within the park. (RMF) to carry out routine
Trelawny. It will provide
2,200 jobs for Jamaicans Caribbean (LAC) region US$64 million. It is 74 under the Constant Spring maintenance and rehabili-
during the building and to have implemented per cent complete. Road Improvement Project. tation programmes.
operation phases. more than one business • In December, the Gov- • Design was finalised for
reform. The country also
• The Government allocated
The US$110 million project ernment signed a con- the US$18 million Ferris J$2 billion to undertake
ranked in the top 50 tract valued US$19.175 Cross to Mackfield islandwide rehabilitation
is being undertaken by worldwide in business million to improve 20 Improvement Project in
the Excellence Group.
processes such as starting kilometres of main roads Westmoreland. Cont’d on page 7
• Special Investment Am- a business, getting credit
bassador to India, Senator and resolving insolvency.
Aubyn Hill, was appointed Roadworks
as the new Executive • Work was completed on
Director of the Economic the widening of Marcus
Growth Council (EGC). Garvey Drive in Kingston
He is tasked with managing at a cost of US$20.5
million. In October, the
the administrative affairs
Prime Minister officially
of the Council, which deal opened the corridor
with coordinating projects between East Avenue
that help to spur growth. and Harbour Street.
Growth • The US$4.4-million Bar-
• In November, the Planning bican Road upgrading
Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) works began in August
reported that GDP grew and is 30 per cent com-
by an estimated 0.9 per plete. This undertaking
cent for the July to Sep- also involves a sewerage
tember quarter.
and water pipe installation
Improved Business upgrade project valued at
Climate US$1.04 million, which is
now 80 per cent complete. Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz
• The World Bank’s Doing (2nd left), examines a bag of castor beans shown to him by Project Director for the Jamaica Baptist
Business Report (DBR) • Work continued on the Union (JBU) Grow Castor Bean Project, Dr. Judith Johnston (2nd right). Occasion was the official
2017 named Jamaica Mandela Highway Improve- launch of the initiative at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St. Andrew. Looking on (from left) are
among nine countries in ment project, valued at Chief of Operations at the Jamaica National Bank, Janice Robinson Longmore; and JBU General
the Latin American and Secretary, Rev. Karl Johnson.
ACHIEVEMENTS 2017 – STRONG PERFORMANCE – Building prosperity through partnership 7
T
he Ministry of Industry, Poultry/Egg Production Up
Commerce, Agriculture and • Broiler/poultry production
Fisheries implemented sev- is up two per cent, with
eral programmes and initiatives 128 million kilogrammes
to foster growth and to assist produced compared to 125
farmers who suffered major million kilogrammes in 2016.
losses during the flood rains. • Egg production in 2017
increased by approxi-
AGRICULTURE AND mately four per cent to
FISHERIES 184 million, compared to
Flood Recovery the 2016 output.
Programme Beet Army Worm Mitigation
• A $118 million allocation • More than $17 million was
was made available to allocated to assist farmers
assist some 10,000 farmers impacted by the beet army
islandwide who were worm, especially in sections
severely affected by the of Manchester and St.
heavy rains in May, which Elizabeth.
resulted in losses esti-
mated at $794 million. Agro-processing
• The Government, with
Support for Farmers support from the World
• high-quality seeds for Bank, made an investment
Farmers of some $320 million to
The Government’s thrust establish agro-processing
to increase production of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (right), inspects bananas facilities across the island
high-quality seeds for for export with General Manager, Banana Board, Janet Conie. The 36,000 pounds of produce were through the Jamaica
agricultural production loaded in a container at the compound of the Agriculture Export Centre (AMC Complex) in Kingston. Social Investment Fund
was boosted with the (JSIF). These include:
acquisition of equipment care and productivity Banana • Coffee Farmers
and supplies valued at support for the National • First shipment of 36,000 lb Registered coffee farmers • Seven multi-use agro-
more than $2.5 million. Irish Potato Programme. of green banana to Trinidad are benefiting from an processing incubators
Under the programme, and Tobago occurred on $80 million initiative to valued at some $208
National Irish Potato local production increased December 25, followed improve and increase million in the parishes
Programme to 18,231 tonnes in the by a weekly shipment of yields over time. The proj- of St. Elizabeth, West-
• The Ministry allocated first nine months, satisfying the fruit to Trinidad over ect, which falls under the moreland, Hanover,
$50 million to provide crop 90 per cent demand. the next six months. Ministry’s Productivity St. James, Trelawny, St.
Incentive Programme, Mary and St. Catherine
focuses on training as • A cold storage facility
well as the purchase of at Iterboreale in St. Mary
inputs, such as fertilisers, valued at some $24.3
fungicides, and tools. million
• A cocoa-drying facility
Support for the Sugar valued at $21 million in
Industry Portland
• The Ministry was able to • A $27 million honey
provide support to Mony- extraction and bottling
musk Sugar Factory in plant in Hanover
Clarendon which resulted
• New pump and irri-
in the production of some gation system valued
11,500 tonnes of sugar at over $30 million at
and the preservation of New Forest/Duff
800 jobs. House Agro-Park in
Manchester
Revised Sugar Packaging
and Labelling Standards INDUSTRY AND
in Effect COMMERCE
• The Government intro- COJ Ranks Number Two
duced revised standards in the World
Finance and Public Service Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw (left), and Head of the EU Delegation to
for the sale of brown and • The Companies Office of
Jamaica, Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska (right), exchange signed grant agreements to
provide €6.5 million to enhance the living standards of residents in sugar-dependent areas. granulated sugar in the Jamaica (COJ) was
Sharing the moment is Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda. retail trade, effective July 1.
Cont’d on page 17
ACHIEVEMENTS 2017 – STRONG PERFORMANCE – Building prosperity through partnership 17
M
ajor infrastructural works facilities for patients who
were undertaken at have taken up permanent
public health facilities residence at hospitals.
across the island as the Gov- • Expansion of operating
ernment moved to ensure theatre and renovation of
that Jamaicans had access to male sugical ward at St.
quality and effective health care. Ann’s Bay Hospital.
Upgrading and Expansion More Ambulances
• Upgrading and expansion • The ambulance service
works were carried out at was boosted with six
the Falmouth Hospital in new vehicles, purchased
Trelawny and the Savanna- at a cost of $83 million
la-Mar General Hospital with support from the EU.
in Westmoreland, to
accommodate patients NHF Subsidies Increased
from the Cornwall Regional • In April, the NHF increased
Hospital (CRH) in St. James, subsidies on 42 pres-
where work began to cription drugs and
replace the ventilation diabetic supplies at a
system that was expelling cost of $100 million.
obnoxious fumes. Improved Pharmacy
• Repairs commenced at Service
Chapelton Community • The Public Sector Phar-
Hospital in Clarendon in macy Initiative resulted in
December. This will be the reduction of waiting
completed in six months. time for persons accessing
• An agreement worth $5.8 prescription drugs at public
billion was signed with Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (2nd right), breaks ground for the construction health facilities. In many
the Government of China of a building at the St. Catherine Infirmary to house social cases from the Spanish Town Hospital. cases, it took just half an
for the construction of the Also participating (from left) are Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. hour to get drugs, whereas
Western Regional Children’s Desmond McKenzie; Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Fund, Everton Anderson, and in the past this ranged from
Hospital in St. James. Mayor of Spanish Town, Councillor Norman Scott. two hours to three months.
The facility will provide • The Drug Serv Pharmacy
paediatric treatment and in Portmore was upgraded
specialised care for chil- at a cost of $42 million, to
dren under 12 years old serve some 320 persons
in that part of the island. monthly and to provide
• The Balaclava Health seating for 65 customers.
Centre in St. Elizabeth Prevention
was renovated at a cost • The Sealant Project was
of $14 million, provided expanded to improve the
by the Culture, Health, oral health of some
Arts, Sports and Education 50,000 children who have
(CHASE) Fund. issues with their teeth.
• Cancer patients in Western • Through a $100 million
Jamaica gained easier programme, the human
access to medical care, papillomavirus (HPV)
following the opening of vaccine was introduced
a US$15 million ($1.88 to protect girls against
billion) Cancer Treatment cervical cancer, which
Centre at the CRH Mon- accounts for the deaths of
tego Bay, St. James. It many women every year.
was constructed through
a partnership involving • To promote responsible
the National Health Fund health among the youth,
the Ministry of Health, in
(NHF), the TEF, the
conjunction with the Min-
Vincent HoSang Family istry of Education, Youth
Foundation, and the and Information, and other
CHASE Fund. partners, launched the
• Partnerships were estab- Healthy Youth, Positive
lished with Municipal Energy (HYPE) pro-
Corporations and private Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (left), greets patients at the upgraded Drug Serv gramme, to promote
entities to construct Pharmacy in Greater Portmore, St. Catherine. Cont’d on page 21
ACHIEVEMENTS 2017 – STRONG PERFORMANCE – Building prosperity through partnership 21
Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator the Hon. Kamina
Johnson Smith (left), exchanges signed documents with China’s
Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Niu Qingbao, for the
construction of the Western Hospital for Children in St. James.
ACHIEVEMENTS 2017 – STRONG PERFORMANCE – Building prosperity through partnership 25
Jamaica Celebrates 55
J
amaicans celebrated the
country’s 55th anniversary
of Independence through
a series of activities dubbed
Jamaica 55, under the theme
‘Celebrating Jamaicans at
Home and Abroad’.
On August 6, more than
30,000 Jamaicans attended
the traditional ‘Grand Gala’ at
the National Stadium.
Legacy Projects
• Strategic partnerships
were developed with the
private and public sectors
to support Jamaica 55 ini-
tiatives, including several
Legacy Projects.
Sports
• Ground broken for the
construction of the
Stafanie Taylor Oval at the
Eltham High School in
St. Catherine, one of the
Jamaica 55 Legacy Proj-
ects. To date, the volley
ball court has been com- Jamaica marked 55 years of Independence in 2017.
pleted. The oval is being
constructed by the Sports • The Ministry hosted the
Development Foundation, ‘Intellectual Property
in partnership with the Rights and the Strategic
Ministry of Culture, Gen- Use in the Sport Industry’
der, Entertainment and international conference,
Sport. It will be the first in collaboration with the
time that a cricket ground World Intellectual Property
in Jamaica is named in Organization and the
honour of a sports Jamaica Intellectual
Property Office.
woman.
• Legendary track-and-field Entertainment
superstar, Usain Bolt, • Fort Rocky in Port Royal
retired. was declared Jamaica’s
first Entertainment Zone.
• The statue of Usain Bolt
was unveiled at the • Work began to establish
National Stadium by an Entertainment Insur-
Prime Minister the Most. ance Plan to assist musi-
Hon. Andrew Holness on cians and artistes. The
December 3. plan will be supported
from the sales of the
• A three-year Letter of ‘Jamaica 55’ commemo-
Exchange for a Technical rative album.
Cooperation Project on
Sport Coaching was Bureau of Gender Affairs
signed between the Gov- • The Woman Incorporated
ernments of Jamaica and Crisis Shelter in Kingston,
the People’s Republic of was refurbished, retrofitted
China. and reopened.
• A Sustainability Plan for • A new miniseries, titled
the Athletes Insurance ‘Amazing Dads’, which
aims to promote positive Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange (right), cuts the ribbon
Scheme was completed
stories about fathers in to officially reopen the Woman Inc. Crisis Centre in Kingston. Assisting her (from left) are:
and is under review by the Founder and Chair of Woman Inc., Angela Stewart; and Chargé d’Affaires at the United States
Ministry. Embassy in Jamaica, Eric Khant.
Cont’d on page 30
30 ACHIEVEMENTS 2017 – STRONG PERFORMANCE – Building prosperity through partnership
Jamaica Celebrates…
cont’d from page 29