Monique Hepburn, Staff Reporter
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson (centre), in discussion with Harry Douglas (left), Minister of State for Water, and Dr. Patrick Harris, Member of Parliament for North Trelawny, at the official ground-breaking ceremony for the Martha Brae Water Supply Project in Falmouth, Trelawny, yesterday. - PHOTO BY HERBET MCKENIS
WESTERN BUREAU:
WITH THE start of Cricket World Cup 2007 drawing closer, Prime Minister P.J. Patterson is assuring the nation that everything is on track for work to begin soon for the construction of a stadium at Greenfield in Trelawny. He said also that the project will be completed by mid-2006.
The Prime Minister was speaking last Friday at the official ground-breaking ceremony of the Martha Brae Water Supply Rehabilitation and Expansion Project in Falmouth.
"I know some of you are very anxious about Greenfield," said Mr. Patterson. "Everything is on stream, and you can take my word for it."
"We are going to be signing the loan agreement within another fortnight at most. The construction agreement is already in place and we are hoping to start the work as soon as possible after."
LOAN AGREEMENT
The construction of the facility, which will host the opening ceremony of the International Cricket Council's 2007 World Cup, will be undertaken by a Chinese firm as a condition of a low-interest loan agreement between Jamaica and China. The cost of construction is expected to cost between US$20m-US$25m (J$1.2-$1.5 billion).
"It is very cheap money at a two per cent rate of interest and we have a good moratorium but it is a condition that it has to be built by the Chinese firm," the Prime Minister said.
Construction workers from China will accompany the firm and the Prime Minister outlined that Jamaican jobs were not in jeopardy, as the workers will be in the island to facilitate the completion of the project so that the deadline can be met.
"The Chinese have a different work ethic. They don't know the difference between Saturday, Sunday or Monday. They will turn on the electricity to work 'twenty-four/seven'."
"They are not going to be taking jobs from the Jamaican people, wherever possible Jamaicans will be involved."
At the start of Cricket World Cup, Jamaica will witness the gathering of all 16 participating teams at no other place but at the Greenfield Stadium, and unease over the completion of the stadium is at its highest.
