First Draft of Housing Policy to be Ready by End of December
MONTEGO BAY (JIS):
Friday, December 19, 2008
Courtesy of Jamaica Information Service
The first draft of a National Housing Policy should be ready by the end of December.
This was announced by Minister of Water and Housing, Dr. Horace Chang, while giving the main address at a handing over ceremony for housing solutions, at Water Works, Westmoreland, on December 17.
Approximately 98 housing solutions, consisting of housing units and serviced lots, were handed over to beneficiaries at Water Works.
The Minister said that if adopted, the Policy should set the kind of framework required for the provision of necessary shelter solutions.
He added that a critical element of the policy is the expectation of expanding and deepening the development of joint venture projects between Government and the private sector.
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Submitted by publicrelations on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 11:49.National Housing Policy draft by year end - Chang
BY MARK CUMMINGS Observer senior reporter
Friday, December 19, 2008, Jamaica Observer
WATERWORKS, Westmoreland - The first draft of the National Housing Policy and Implementation Plan, which will provide the framework for a dynamic housing sector, should be ready by the end of this month, according to Water and Housing Minister Dr Horace Chang.
"The critical strategy in this policy is the expansion and development of joint ventures," Dr Chang said on Wednesday at the handing- over ceremony for Waterworks Housing Development in Westmoreland.
"The essence of this is to combine public sector resources in the Ministry of Water and Housing and assets outside of the ministry, such as the National Housing Trust and Urban Development Corporation along with elements of the private sector, to build the capacity to deliver at least 10,000 units which are required by the population over the next three years," he added.
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Submitted by publicrelations on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 11:03.$2.4 Billion to Repair Roads, Drains and Gullies
KINGSTON(JIS):
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The Government, as part of its response to the global economic crisis, has authorised an additional expenditure of $2.4 billion to undertake urgent repairs to roads, drains and gullies, which will provide employment for many persons.
"Work has already started in several parts of the island. This will provide much needed employment in these tough times," Prime Minister Bruce Golding said, during his broadcast to the nation on December 14.
Mr. Golding also informed that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which was introduced in April, is also financing meaningful projects in each constituency, improving the quality of life and creating jobs.
"I urge all Members of Parliament to select and monitor their projects carefully, to ensure value for taxpayers' money and maximum benefit to the communities," he said.
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Submitted by publicrelations on Wed, 12/17/2008 - 10:39.Dr. Chang Hands Over Homes to Gustav Victims
KINGSTON(JIS):
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Courtesy of Jamaica Information Service
Minister of Water and Housing, Dr. Horace Chang, yesterday (Dec. 15) handed over two of the two-bedroom houses, which have been built for Hurricane Gustav victims, to two families in Kintyre, St. Andrew.
"These are the first of the Gustav houses that have been completed," Dr. Chang explained during the handing over ceremony.
Courtesy of Jamaica Information Service
He said that the Ministry is responsible for "identifying the spots for the houses, we build the foundation" while Food for the Poor constructs the houses. "I think it's part of what is called the 'Katrina Response' out of the United States," he informed.
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Submitted by publicrelations on Wed, 12/17/2008 - 10:28.Access to Clean Water Essential to Poverty Alleviation
KINGSTON (JIS):
Friday, December 12, 2008
Minister of State in the Ministry of Water and Housing, Everald Warmington, has said that access to clean water is essential to the process to alleviate poverty and to accelerate the movement towards sustainable development.
"Any poverty alleviation strategy we undertake will be useless and inefficient without the provision of safe and adequate supplies of potable water," Mr. Warmington stated, as he addressed a workshop and discussion forum on 'Social Water in Jamaica' on Wednesday (Dec.10) at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston.
Without potable water supplies, he noted further, "we cannot hope to attract the level of investment we need to drive the economy. Any sector you can think of needs an adequate supply of water to properly function."
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Submitted by publicrelations on Fri, 12/12/2008 - 13:09.Water Workshop at Liguanea Club Dec. 10
KINGSTON (JIS):
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The definition of social water and who is to pay for it, will top the agenda of a workshop to be held by the Ministry of Water and Housing, at the Liguanea Club, in Kingston, on Wednesday, December 10.
The Ministry's Water Sector Policy and Action Plan, speak to social water, and seeks, to make "potable water available to all citizens in such quantity and at such quality as to sustain life, irrespective of the citizen's ability to pay."
A study on the framework concerning social water has been commissioned by the Ministry of Water and Housing, since there is currently no existing mechanism to deal with it. The discussions at the workshop will centre on the findings of this study, which is being done in association with the Rural Water Programme.
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Submitted by publicrelations on Wed, 12/10/2008 - 11:23.Contracts Signed for Irrigation Scheme in South Manchester
KINGSTON (JIS):
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Courtesy of Jamaica Information Service
Agriculture Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton, today (Dec. 8) signed two contracts amounting to just over $100 million for the construction of five production wells in South Manchester.
The works, which will be undertaken by Jamaica Wells and Services Limited, is scheduled for completion within four months and will involve the drilling and development of the wells. The National Irrigation Commission (NIC) is the executing agency.
Speaking at the signing at the Ministry, Dr. Tufton outlined that the first contract, valued $35.5 million, is to undertake the construction of two wells at Duff House and Rowes Corner, while the second, in the sum of just over $65 million, provides for the development of three wells in Plumwood Lane, and New Forest.
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Submitted by publicrelations on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 12:46.Sea Defence Work Underway at Rozelle, St. Thomas
KINGSTON (JIS):
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Massive sea defence work is currently underway along the coastline at Rozelle, in St.Thomas, which was severely damaged by storm surges last year, during the hurricane season.
The work commenced some six weeks ago, and is being carried out as part of an agreement between the Government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), valued at some US$10 million.
Communication Consultant at the Ministry of Transport and Works, Reginald Allen, told JIS New that the work is on schedule and should be completed by March 2009.
"The objective of the project is to protect approximately some 800 metres of the coastline from erosion, resulting from storm surge action," he said.
Work is being undertaken by Shaw's Quarry Ltd., which has been contracted to procure and place large stones along the section, to act as sea defence barriers, while M&M Construction Ltd. has been contracted to do revetment and retaining wall works.
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Submitted by publicrelations on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 13:25.Growing Concern About the Status on Water Worldwide - Chang
KINGSTON (JIS):
Saturday, December 06, 2008
There is growing concern about the status of water worldwide, as a result of poor management and utilisation, as well as climate change, said Minister of Water and Housing, Dr. Horace Chang.
"There is a growing sense that water, which is critical to civilisation, could become a major concern in this decade as a result of poor management and utilisation, as well as climate change, which has resulted in changing weather patterns," Dr. Chang said.
He was speaking in an exclusive interview with JIS News recently, at the Agency's Half-Way-Tree Road office in Kingston, following his participation in the recently concluded Water Forum of the Americas in Brazil.
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Submitted by publicrelations on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 13:00.Bybrook Water Supply System to Benefit 1,500
PORT ANTONIO (JIS):
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Government's intention to provide every Jamaican with access to a safe water supply by 2015, has been underscored by Minister of State in the Ministry of Water and Housing, Everald Warmington.
Giving the main address at the handing over ceremony for the Bybrook Water Supply system in Portland on Wednesday, December 3, Mr. Warmington said that intention was in keeping with the United Nations' Millennium Development Goal of providing by the year 2015, an adequate and reliable water supply to people who are currently without that service.
The project was completed at a cost of $14.3 million, with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), providing $13 million and the community contributing $1.3 million.
It involved the construction of a small dam, the building of a tank, chlorination and filter system, and the laying of 6,700 metres of pipelines.
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