Dear Editor,
The Kaieteur News reported incorrectly on Wednesday, October 31 2012 that “Earlier this month, Jamaica’s Minister of Transport, Works and Housing Omar Davies said that CHEC breached regulations over a multi-million road project. These included procurement breach and “wanton disregard for the conventions and procedures established by the government of Jamaica.”
This report is incorrect. In a statement to the Jamaican Parliament on October 2, 2012, Minister Davies, reporting on a forensic audit conducted on the Jamaica Infrastructure Development Programme (JDIP) said the audit report “has unearthed wanton disregard for the conventions and procedures established by the Government of Jamaica for project implementation, administration and management.”
Nowhere in the statement was CHEC accused of committing these breaches nor was the company mentioned in relation to any wrongdoing.
Since it started in 2012, the JDIP infrastructure rehabilitation programme has been and continues to be implemented, administered and managed by the Government of Jamaica through the Ministry of Transport and Works (renamed since January 2012 as Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing) and the National Works Agency.
China Harbour is the general contractor for the project and as such has no responsibility for Government of Jamaica procurement, administration or management.
The Minister of Transport, Works and Housing of Jamaica is on record as having praised CHEC for its good work on the projects which the company is undertaking in Jamaica. A news release issued by the Ministry on the October 11, 2012 opening of the Rio Grande Bridge project recently completed by CHEC on time and within budget says:
“Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, Minister of Transport, Works & Housing, Dr. Omar Davies said the bridge was a symbolism of ‘linkages’. He said that in the same way that the bridge linked various areas in Portland and its environs, it is the same way that the building of the bridge formed lasting linkages between Jamaica and China, the country of the contractors. In this respect, the Minister hailed the exemplary work China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) has been doing in Jamaica.” The Ministry report can be found at: www.mtw.gov.jm.
The respected Jamaica Gleaner newspaper, in reporting on the bridge opening function quoted Minister Davies as saying “This bridge was constructed ahead of schedule and well within the budget. The fact that China Harbour Construction Company was able to complete this bridge within the budget and on time is commendable, and our local contractors and engineers should realise and make the effort to do likewise, and this should be the norm for all.”
Yours faithfully,
Jennifer Armond
Regional Communications Manager
China Harbour Engineering Company
