Dionne Rose, Staff ReporterPEOPLE'S NATIONAL Party (PNP) Senator, Noel Sloley, has admitted that the Government made a mistake in investing in the failed multimillion dollar Springfield Technology Park in Morant Bay, St. Thomas.
In acknowledging criticisms previously levelled by the Opposition, Mr. Sloley told the Senate yesterday that the Government must tell the nation it erred and move on.
"I tell you the decision that I had to make ... I was eventually put in charge of the company that owned it and I took the decision to halt the construction," Senator Sloley said during his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate. "We have put security on it (the property) to protect the people's asset until such time (as a decision on future action is made)."
Last week, Opposition Senator, Shirley Williams, criticised the Government for refurbishing the Springfield facility, formerly the Goodyear tyre factory, at a cost of $153 million in September 2002, and said that, to date, the centre remains closed.
The aim was to convert the old Goodyear tyre factory into 30,000 sq. ft. of space for the Springfield Information Technology (IT) Park.
However, by 2004, few or no investors had latched on to the project because of the high rental cost, forcing the Government to cut the monthly rentals at the complex.
The development represented the first phase of a major refurbishing programme which was being undertaken by the Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ).
Yesterday, Senator Solely said the Government was at the time focusing on bringing jobs to the people, rather than moving the people to the jobs.
MOBAY PREFERENCE
"The unfortunate reality (is), the type of international investor that we are dealing with in the Information Technology industry, their first preference is for Montego Bay," he argued.
He said the Government was able to sell the investors on Portmore because of the high volume of the educated workforce that exists in that community.
Senator Sloley said that, despite these disappointments, the Government has moved the country to the forefront of contact centre destinations by providing competitive capabilities and excellent value for money.
He said some 15 new business process outsourcing and contact centres have been established, representing significant employment creation and Foreign Direct Investment.
He said Jamaica has become the number one outsourcing country in the English-speaking Caribbean for the Information and Communication Technology industry because of the Government's deliberate marketing strategies.
