Gareth Manning, Gleaner Writer
CABINET ON Monday approved four contracts valued at nearly $100 million to acquire security vehicles and to rehabilitate roads and a school in some rural parishes.
A $15 million contract was approved to acquire five special vehicles to transport prisoners and detainees from penal institutions and lock-ups to courts.
"[It] will ease the severe shortage of adequate, specialised vehicles for transport of prisoners," Information and Development Minister Colin Campbell told journalists during Monday's post-Cabinet briefing at Jamaica House. "The lack of these vehicles severely restricts the movement of detainees to and from court and contributes to a backlog of court cases."
The vehicles are expected in the island in four months and are to be deployed to rural parishes. The contract is signed with automotive dealers, GM Challenger Transport Company.
CIVIL CONTRACTS
The other three contracts are civil contracts valued at approximately $76 million. A $42.6 million contract was approved to redevelop and upgrade the Yallahs Basic School in St. Thomas. This is to be part of the Enhancement of Basic Schools Project being funded by Government and the Caribbean Development Bank.
"The project is aimed at enhancing the quality of learning and the rate of appropriate development of children six years old through interventions that seek to improve the quality, coverage and delivery of early childhood development," Mr. Campbell said.
The other two contracts are to rehabilitate roadways in St. Elizabeth. One is a $15 million agreement to improve the Accompong Road, while the remaining $19.4 million will rehabilitate the Askenish Feeder Road. The projects are to be executed by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund with assistance from the Government. They cover six kilometres of roadway.
"The work will improve the conditions for all the communities including farmers, taxi operators, the elderly and tourists," Mr. Campbell said.
