Today, The Gleaner continues its series on the priorities, projections and problems in various government ministries. This week, we look at the Ministry of Transport and Works.
There is still no timeline yet on when the groundwork will begin on the much-touted Vernamfield development project in Clarendon.
The mega project was mooted under the People's National Party administration and the Bruce Golding-led government is continuing full speed ahead.
However, Minister of Transport and Works Mike Henry says the administration's decision to relocate the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) headquarters to Vernamfield could impact on the order of priority with respect to the implementation of aspects of the project.
He told The Gleaner that a detailed implementation plan was being pursued.
"Vernamfield is well advanced in terms of the full economic study," he said.
Implications of JDF move
A new airport forms the plank of the Vernamfield development plan, initially estimated to cost between US$300 million and US$400 million (J$21 billion and J$28 billion). But Henry said the relocation of the JDF would further spike that estimate.
Golding has said the relocation would not be immediate, but would be pursued in the medium term to free up the current JDF Up Park Camp base in Kingston for housing accommodation and green spaces.
In the meantime, Henry said he was excited about the plans for the establishment of an airport with emphasis on cargo and an aircraft maintenance and repair outlet at Vernamfield. He said partnerships have already been sealed with Singapore, which will provide the training module for the aeronautical industry.
Upbeat about airport
Henry said the establishment of the maintenance and repair unit means that the operators of aeroplanes, who now send their planes to Europe for repairs, would have an alternative.
"That offers all the opportunities for our country where, if you are positioned on the equator, you are able to fly here more cheaply to repair than to Europe," he told The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre, adding that Jamaica would also be able to export skills.
"I will not make the mistake of training people like in the bauxite industry and trying to retard their growth by marrying it to the economic structure that exits," he said.
Henry revealed that the extension of the runway at Vernamfield would facilitate the accommodation of an A380 aircraft.
Meanwhile, Henry said the Herb McKenley Stadium, which is being tied to the Vernamfield development, is now 50 per cent complete.
damion.mitchell@gleanerjm.com
