LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER BREAKS GROUND FOR $190 MILLION PORTMORE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION BUILDING
Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, officially broke ground on Wednesday May 31 for the construction of a J$190 million Administrative Building for the Portmore Municipal Corporation.
The construction of an official Municipal Building for Portmore, was one of the commitments given by the Minister in his contribution to the 2017/18 Sectoral Debate in April.
In his remarks at the ground-breaking ceremony held at the site of the project in Portmore, Minister McKenzie noted that, the Municipal Corporation “is now on a clear path to getting its new home, from which I expect highly enhanced service to the people of the Municipality of Portmore.”
The new Administrative Building will be:
A new 22-thousand square foot facility (22,654 sq. ft.) will be a modern, stand-alone building, which will be located on 4 acres of Government land in the vicinity of the Braeton Parkway and Municipal Boulevard. This is near to the South St. Catherine Division Police Station (popularly called hundred-man police station).
· The J$190 million cost of the project will be financed from the Equalization Fund, as well as the Municipal Corporation’s funds.
· Construction is expected to last for twenty (20) months, beginning on June 1. It is expected that the building will be completed by February, 2019.
· The building will feature a ground floor, first floor and attic floor, and will have energy-efficient features such as solar street lighting and LED lighting. The overall development plan also includes landscaping, adequate car parking and water harvesting.
The ground-breaking ceremony was also addressed by Member of Parliament for Southern St. Catherine Mr. Fitz Jackson and His Worship the Mayor of Portmore Mr. Leon Thomas, who both described the development as a welcome and eagerly anticipated lift for the elected and administrative servants of the people of Portmore, as well as the residents of Portmore themselves.
