Where art thou Jamaica thread?

[lmcm1990]

dante: you should invite other jamaicans (specially from ssc). since a jamaican sub-forum can't be opened because you'll eed at least 15 people, you should ask a moderator to make this thread (or a new one) a sticky.

[dante2308]

Mona Reservoir

Note: The following two articles are about the improvements to the energy and water infastructure. Note that Jamaica is a very rural country with large mountainous areas and several very old and very remote rural communities nestled in hard to reach areas. This represents a huge investment and a huge move. Note the estimated cost of the project. My friend who works for the ministry says that everything is on schedule and this will become a reality.

Ministry Confident of Total Access to Potable Water by 2010
BY: ALICIA DUNKLEY

Director of Water Policy and Research in the Ministry, Patricia Snow tells JIS News that foremost among the Ministry's strategies for the new legislative year is the introduction of a new draft Bill, 'The Water Supply and Sewerage Services Act', which will indicate the roles and functions of all players in the sector.

Miss Snow says it is hoped that the Bill, which is to be brought before the Houses of Parliament soon, will be passed in this legislative year. The Act, in conjunction with the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), will provide the parameters for the sector and will govern present players, the Ministry and other sector players, including the National Water Commission (NWC).

She explains that currently, the sector operates through the NWC Act, which is an institutional Act. However, the new Bill will be a sector wide Act, which will outline to parties, the process for licensing, approval and renewal as well as the role of the Minister and the avenues for appeals.

"We will at that point be harmonized in the sector and everybody will be placed on a level playing field. It will encourage private sector investment and provide a level playing field," she notes.

Also on the legislative side, the Water Resources Authority Act and the Flood Control Act are to be amended to allow the responsibility for the implementation of the provisions under the Act, to remain with the Works Ministry and transfer the responsibility for the legislative aspect to the Water Resources Authority (WRA). This, she says, is in a bid to plan for and manage flood control, a process, which is not exercised at present.

During the remaining five year period, the National Irrigation Commission, the WRA and the NWC will be making every effort to implement aspects of their action plans, in order to meet the 100 per cent access goal.

In this regard, the NWC recently developed its project programme and profile, which shows some 71 per cent access to potable water for rural, major towns and urban areas overall. The organisation's goal is to improve its reach to 85 per cent by 2010, provided funding is received. The Director says it is hoped that the remaining 15 per cent will be covered by private providers; the NIC, through the National Irrigation Development Plan (NIDP) and under the Rural Water Programme.

"We should be able to get to 100 per cent by then," she tells JIS News. The process is expected to cost between US$2 billion and US$ 3 billion, including the rural and major programmes.

[dante2308]

The government has projected that within the next four years the island’s contribution from renewable sources of energy to electricity demand should be 10 per cent, climbing to 15 per cent by 2020.

Minister Phillip Paulwell in his contribution in the 2006/2007 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on June 20 said, “To meet the 15 per cent target by 2020, we must bring on board at least another 100 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy.”

According to the Minister, there were a number of opportunities for investment in the renewable energy sector, which were being explored for possible implementation. “Based on various technical studies, we estimate that another 25 to 30 MWs of electricity can be generated from six to eight mini hydro plants in Jamaica…we are now working with the Canadian International Development Agency, along with the Canadian Government, to develop site-specific studies,” he informed the House.

He further disclosed that the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) was working on a comprehensive wind-mapping survey of the island to arrive at the true potential for wind energy.

The Minister indicated that the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) had laid out a framework for the addition of capacity using renewable energy technologies. “This is a powerful tool in attracting new investments…the process to establish a plant and sell electricity to the national grid is now transparent…it is fair and it is predictable,” he remarked.

Presently, renewable sources of energy contribute just over 12 per cent of the total energy requirements for the island, with approximately six per cent for electricity. This is comprised of 20 MWs of wind power from the Wigton wind farm, which began operations in 2004; 23 MWs of hydro from six mini hydro plants upgraded within the last seven years; and the remaining portion comes from biomass and other sources.

[Thskyscraper]

Originally Posted by dante2308

The government has projected that within the next four years the island’s contribution from renewable sources of energy to electricity demand should be 10 per cent, climbing to 15 per cent by 2020.

Minister Phillip Paulwell in his contribution in the 2006/2007 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on June 20 said, “To meet the 15 per cent target by 2020, we must bring on board at least another 100 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy.”

According to the Minister, there were a number of opportunities for investment in the renewable energy sector, which were being explored for possible implementation. “Based on various technical studies, we estimate that another 25 to 30 MWs of electricity can be generated from six to eight mini hydro plants in Jamaica…we are now working with the Canadian International Development Agency, along with the Canadian Government, to develop site-specific studies,” he informed the House.

He further disclosed that the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) was working on a comprehensive wind-mapping survey of the island to arrive at the true potential for wind energy.

The Minister indicated that the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) had laid out a framework for the addition of capacity using renewable energy technologies. “This is a powerful tool in attracting new investments…the process to establish a plant and sell electricity to the national grid is now transparent…it is fair and it is predictable,” he remarked.

Presently, renewable sources of energy contribute just over 12 per cent of the total energy requirements for the island, with approximately six per cent for electricity. This is comprised of 20 MWs of wind power from the Wigton wind farm, which began operations in 2004; 23 MWs of hydro from six mini hydro plants upgraded within the last seven years; and the remaining portion comes from biomass and other sources.

Good info Dante. It seems that every country in the world is looking to increase their capacity in renewable energy sources.

[lmcm1990]

damn, jamaica's nice as hell. dante represents jamaica very well with all the pics and news here.

[Urbanguy]

I would love to see more pics of Jamaica especially of its major cities/towns. It's not very often that Jamaica is ever shown by anyone on this site. Does anyone have any recent pics?

[dante2308]

Originally Posted by Urbanguy

I would love to see more pics of Jamaica especially of its major cities/towns. It's not very often that Jamaica is ever shown by anyone on this site. Does anyone have any recent pics?

I wish that I had taken my camera on my last trip this summer. I will try to show you what I can find. For any of you who don't know about Jamaica in general, the pictures and quotes are from discoverjamaica.com.


Kingston

"Kingston is the capital and the commercial, administrative and cultural heart of the island. It is the largest English-speaking city in the Caribbean, has the seventh largest natural harbor in the world, and lies on a wide plain with the sea to the south and the St. Andrew Mountain as its backdrop to the north."

Realistically, Kingston is Jamaica without the tourist backdrop. It is relatively small and built in and has a metro population of just over a million. The new highway system will effectively make most of the south coast towns and cities suburbs of the capital in the near future. There are a few mid-rises in the city, but it has never been a big thing in Jamaica to build up. Considering the convenience of cars, low population growth, and the vast amounts of undeveloped land, the popularity of apartments never caught on and there was an oversupply of offices for a long time. In the next decade, this is due to change, but for now, most large projects in the city are retail and infrastructure related.

The city has a historic downtown area with a few mid-rises and an extended grid street network and a newer mid-rise area called New Kingston where most of the new development takes place. New Kingston is centered on a single main road called "the strip" that branches out in a small grid network. The rest of the city doesn't have a grid system.

The portion of the city on the harbor is the industrial district and is lined with factories and warehouses, many of them with private wharfs for importing raws or exporting goods.

The mountains that overlook the city are lined with mansions. Literally thousands of them each with the best view you could ever imagine. I still wonder how its possible for so many to exist.

The city has two airports: Norman Manley International across the harbor and the general aviation Tenson Pen in the industrial district. The international airport is undergoing a major renovation right now and there is talk about the port absorbing Tenson Pen.

The nearby bedroom community of Portmore is the fastest growing on the island and is connected to Kingston proper by a bridge that has been recently upgraded. There has been controversy over the toll element of the bridge project because the residents of Portmore are limited to either taking the bridge or the much longer route that goes around the bay. Most residents feel that they should not have to pay to enter or leave their community.


Montego Bay, the second city.

"Montego Bay, or Mo Bay as it is popularly known, is deservedly one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. Over the years it has attracted the rich and the famous, and been the haunt of royalty. Many of their luxury villas still grace the hills with fabulous sea views. The bay offers wonderful beaches and the town has lots to offer. The town of Montego Bay is divided into two distinct areas, the residential and the tourist. The former is largely to the south of Sam Sharpe Square and west of St. James Street until its junction with Barnett Street. The main tourist part of town, paced with vendors, stall, higglers and hustlers, is east of Sam Sharpe Square nearer the waterfront, and most of the main resorts and hotels are to the north, between the town and the Sir Donald Sangster International Airport, or east of it."

Montego bay is the center of tourism in Jamaica. Its airport is largest in the island and the hub for the national carrier Air Jamaica and millions visit the city or the north coast every year. It has been undergoing expansions, upgrading, and renovations for as long as I can remember. The city has a corporate free zone that has attracted a lot of foriegn companies to move in. If you are visiting as a tourist, I suggest you start here.

This city is one terminus of the new highway and will connect Kingston and Montego Bay efficiently and realistically for the first time. In the 90s the trip could take as long as 10-12 hours if you traveled at a bad time.

As for buildings, most of the taller buildings here are hotels as you might expect. Domestic corporations mostly move to Kingston where you have access to more of the population.

As for deveopment. There is a lot of investment going on in the city aided by the freezone. I'll try to find some projects for you guys.


Mandeville, inland city.

"Mandeville is the chief town of Manchester parish, Jamaica's mountain resort, one of the island's largest urban center. The town was laid out in 1816 and many of the original buildings can still be seen. Although only 64 miles (103km) from Kingston, Mandeville has a charm - and a climate - all of its own, as if it has been sheltered against al the developments in the capital and around the coast. It has a town square, parish church and clock tower, and many large, elegant early nineteenth-century houses to see along the winding streets. The square is more like a village green and Mandeville has been described as the most English town on Jamaica."

Mandeville is 2000 feet above sea level and enjoys a cool climate for its latitude. Its very pretty to visit, but is mostly another business center. Not many tourists find their way here and the city is fueled by the huge aluminum industry as Mandeville sits on the largest open bauxite source in the world. Mandeville is known as the money center of Jamaica and is home to several financial institutions.

It is one of the cities that will become part of Kingston's commutable area in the future as the highway has already made it halfway between the two cities and has cut the travel time considerably.

Developments in the city are few actually despite the tripling of the population in the last decade. Mandeville has essentially become a pedestrian city based on it's old infastructure with hundreds or thousands of people in the streets during the day. Walking is by far the easiest way to get around. The major private developments are mostly consumer oriented to take advantage of the large centralized shopping districts.

[wiki]

montego bay, i love it, is a great city, i went few years a go on cruiseship, and i found it really interesting, and the beaches waoooo amazing, wao and we went close to the rose hall, and i get shock by the big of this resort, waoooo. i simply love jamaica. i have almost every song of bob marley and sean paul on my laptop.lol

[dante2308]

News from today:


"Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, walk together after his arrival at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, yesterday. President Chavez was in the island on a working visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between both nations, with specific focus on the areas of infrastructure development, energy, as well as social and economic cooperation. - JIS photo"


Chavez money hits the road - Jamaica gets highway funds - US$290 million for Petrojam expansion

WESTERN BUREAU:

Jamaica and Venezuela yesterday signed off on a host of development loans, including a deal which will see the nation receive US$130 million upfront to construct a new leg of Highway 2000.

The multi-lane tolled motorway project will run from Spanish Town, St. Catherine, to Ocho Rios, St. Ann, and will see additional injections of US$65 million each in March and May next year.

Phillip Paulwell, Minister of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, also announced during a press conference late yesterday that the Venezuelans would be pumping in US$290 million to expand the Petrojam Oil Refinery to raise production from 35,000 barrels of oil per day to 50,000 barrels.

The agreements, which also include an amendment to the PetroCaribe Initiative, were initialled in Montego Bay, St. James, yesterday during a one-day working visit by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and a team of government officials from the South American nation.

Ministerial contingent

Mr. Chavez and a host of Venezuelan government ministers, including Energy Minister Raphael Ramirez and Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, arrived about 1:05 p.m. at the Sangster International Airport in the Second City.

The Venezuelans were met by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and Cabinet ministers, including Anthony Hylton, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; Dr. Omar Davies, Minister of Finance and Planning; and Mr. Paulwell.

The amendment to the PetroCaribe Initiative regularises the extra 2,500 barrels of oil supplied to Air Jamaica per day, adding to the original 21,000 with 40 per cent of the payments converted to loans for development projects such as those also signed yesterday.

Among the other agreements signed were:

The Petrojam commercial sales contract and a joint venture agreement with PetroCaribe Jamaica Limited in which Jamaica will have a 51 per cent stake;

A joint venture agreement between Petrojam and Petroleos de Venezuela, the Venezuelan oil refinery, that will enable it to take an equity position in the Petrojam refinery and facilitate its expansion and upgrading;

Social Development Bank of Venezuela loans.

The provision of financing under the San Jose Accord, the predecessor to PetroCaribe, to enable Phase Three of the Montego Bay Sports Complex and a line of credit for the Jamaica Mortgage Bank to finance affordable housing solutions.

A US$9.3 million loan to offset construction costs of Phase Three of the Montego Bay Sports Complex, which has a total cost of US$11.6 million;

A US$2.13 million loan to facilitate construction of Phase Two of the Port Maria Civic Centre.

Mr. Chavez had flown directly from Cuba where he visited his ailing ally, Cuban President Fidel Castro, for his 80th birthday.

The Venezuelan President also met with former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson for what one government official said was as 'a private meeting'.

Under the PetroCaribe Energy Cooperation Agreement, Venezuela supplies oil and petroleum products on concessionary rates to 14 Caribbean countries.

[dante2308]

A map for reference

[Urbanguy]

Thank you dante, btw are you from Jamaica originally or the Caribbean for that matter?

[dante2308]

I'm from Jamaica. I lived in Kingston before moving to Atlanta for school. I go back to visit family and friends every year.

Currently, I'm a third year at Georgia Tech. I'm not sure where I'll be after I graduate.

[Urbanguy]

Awesome, so are you wanting to stay in the U.S. or go back to Jamaica after school? Maybe the next time you go and take some pictures, you can also post them in the main city section. I'd love to see a pano of Kingston's skyline from the hills or the coast.

[dante2308]

I'm in the aerospace field so its best that I stay in the US unfortunately.
I'll take a ton of pics when I can. I'll get my family to send some up too. I hope some other people will help me keep up this topic as well.

[dante2308]

Transportion hall to be opened at Sangster Airport



Three months ahead of its scheduled completion, an ultra-modern transportation hall equipped with first-world facilities is to be unveiled at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay by January 2007.

On completion, the airport will boast a new baggage claim and custom hall, ground transportation building, commercial pick-up area, staff parking, redevelopment and relocation of the existing car rental agencies.

expansion exercise

The new facilities are part of the expansion exercise of Phase two, stage two of the airport modernisation programme, which began in April 2003.

During a tour of the construction site recently, MBJ Airport Limited's chief executive officer, Jorge Sales, told Hospitality Jamaica that on completion the baggage hall will boast six new carousels, two of which will be extremely large and IATA compliant.

He noted that the new state-of-the-art commercial pick-up area would comfortably accommodate 23 large buses. Of particular importance he said, are the changes being made in relation to delayed baggage.

"Delayed bags will be handled differently, lost luggage passengers will not need to re-enter the custom area, like they currently do, but will receive their bags from a public area set up specifically to handle those matters."

Accordingly, he is assuring the public that this will greatly ease the challenges that passengers now experience to get their delayed bags. "They won't need to get approved airport passes, which will not only help with the comfort of passengers, but also enhance security measures."

MBJ's bullish stance has been highly commended by chairman of the Airports Authority of Jamaica, Dennis Morrison who told Hospitality Jamaica that he was very happy to see the tremendous progress made in the last six months. "This stage of the project which will modernise and expand the facilities for customs and immigration will enhance the experience of the traveller, especially since these are the first point of contact for the visitor."

good timing

The Airport Authority head who also wears the hat of chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) noted that the rapid increase in visitor arrivals has so far seen growth of over 20 per cent this year and, "The upgrading of the facilities could not be better timed."

"Jamaica has to compete aggressively to maintain our growth performance and airport infrastructure is a vital part of the supporting services for the industry.

The expansion trajectory has as its aim, the construction of a two-level airport facility of 177, 000 square feet. The entire project is set for completion in July 2008. On completion the airport will have the capacity to accommodate 10 million passengers per year, tripling its current capability.

[dante2308]

HOLLAND BAY, St Thomas - Ground is to be broken soon for the construction of a 300-room hotel at Holland Bay in eastern St Thomas, according to State Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Transport, Water and Works, Dr Fenton Ferguson.

Ferguson, who is also the Member of Parliament for the area, said the project would not only create a major economic transformation of Holland Bay and the surrounding areas, but would also revive the famous Bath Hotel and Spa and once again place St Thomas on the island's tourism destination map.

"Phase one of the hotel will be the construction of 60 rooms, while phase two will be 240 rooms. We expect that this will make a major difference in St Thomas, because the training needs, especially hospitality training, would become a critical factor in satisfying the manpower needs of the hotel," he said.

He was speaking at Bath Primary and Junior High School on Saturday. The occasion was the opening of the annual Bath Breadfruit Festival in the parish.

Citing the once-famous Bath Botanical Gardens and Spa, the state minister said that the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) had indicated an interest in investing in the development of the attraction.

"They have indicated to me that if we clean up the front of the gardens and the verges, they will come in and invest in its development. I don't think we can afford to lose out on this possibility," he said.

He added that with the planned implementation of several projects, the parish was set to benefit economically and develop-mentally. The projects include:

. a new police station, for which ground would be broken in October;
. the rehabilitation of the Bath to Barret Gap main road by mid-September;
. the building of a mini-stadium in Bath; and
. the expected start-up of works for the building of the Yallahs Bridge by mid-September.

"I believe that St Thomas has its own challenges, but I am heartened by the fact that there are opportunities that the parish's residents can take advantage of, to transform their lives," Ferguson said.

The Bath Breadfruit Festival, meanwhile, highlights the introduction and planting of the first breadfruit tree in the island at the Bath Botanical Gardens and the fact that the Spa is the second oldest in the Caribbean.

[dante2308]

"Donald Lockerbie, venue development director and chief operating officer of ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 Inc., discusses plans with Chris Smith (left), venue development manager, on a tour of Sabina Park. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer"


BELIEVE IT or not, the war in the middle east between Israeli and Hezbollah forces from Lebanon is impacting on developments right here in our midst.

The roof for the new stand being built at the northern end of Sabina Park - which is being upgraded for next year's ICC Cricket World Cup - is being made in Haifa, Israel.

That city is a major target of bombings from Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

However, the Hezbollah bom-bardment is concentrated during daytime hours so the developers there have had to strategise by changing working hours in an effort to meet the schedule for completing the roof and delivering it to Jamaica on time.

Avichai Menelson, project manager for Ashtrom Building Systems - the Israeli company which is redeveloping Sabina Park - divulged that information following an inspection of the facility by officials from the International Cricket Council (ICC), Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for next year's tournament and the media yesterday afternoon.

Working overtime

Explaining the situation, he said: "We have sub-contracted the structural canopy to an Israeli sub-contractor in the city of Haifa. The city of Haifa, as all of you know, is the target of the Hezbollah bombardment so, indirectly, it could affect our schedule. But the sub-contractor has worked night shifts in order to accommodate the deadlines that we've set.

"He's going to make the target, he's committed to that. He's working night shifts, during that time there's no missiles being shot at the city of Haifa where they are situated," Menelson, himself an Israeli, said.

The deadline for Sabina Park to be completed is November 30 this year and Menelson, whose company has worked 24-hour shifts to get back on schedule after being off target earlier this year due to cement shortage and other reasons, expressed confidence for a timely delivery of the venue.

"As a matter of fact, the first shipment (of the roof) is leaving this week for the port of Kingston directly from the port in Israel and we are actually not yielding to the war situation and will be on target," he said.

Very complex

Commenting on the structure itself, Menelson said: "It's a thrust roof ... a three-dimensional thrust made out of alloy, steel pipes. It is a very complex structure that is being made by one of the leading fabricators in Israel.

"We're going to start erecting in the middle of September ... it is going to change the whole sky view."

[lmcm1990]

What's the per capita (PPP) of Jamaica??? Is it a commonwealth or completely free???

[duper]

I spent a good 6 months working in Kingston at the University of the West Indies. Good times. Sadly, I was never able to take many pictures of my surroundings while in the city. It never really seemed appropriate to be snapping pictures, since I wasn't a tourist and there's never an appropriate time to snap a photo in Trenchtown, Tivoli or Arnette Gardens....ever!

That said, I realy enjoyed myself there. Terrific welcoming people! Good jerk chicken on the corner in New Kingston at 3 in the morning. Oh, the memories!

Getting around was not exactly what I was used to, but there is a public bus service, route taxis, as well as charter taxis. As someone who obviously is not from Jamaica, I did get quite a few odd stares on the buses and route taxis, though.

The only photos I have are from the countryside (and my holiday in Ocho Rios), and I'll spare you those.

[dante2308]

Originally Posted by lmcm1990

What's the per capita (PPP) of Jamaica??? Is it a commonwealth or completely free???

Its a commonwealth. There are articles suggesting full independence soon, but there is no real motivation to go forward. As for per capita (PPP), it sits around $4,500 with a growth rate around 20% per year and a low cost of living. Why do you ask?

A note about Jamaica is that statistics are often hampered by long life expectancies and rapid growth and improvements. My grandfather's generation was witness to a very different Jamaica and was extraordinarily hampered by it. An example is the literacy rate. It sits at about 85% for men and 90% for women (literacy defined as having attended primary and secondary education). The youth literacy rate (15-25 years old) is at 94-95% though.

One note about PPP is that the growth rate is extraordinarily high due to near zero population growth. Any improvement in the GDP which grows annually translates immediately to a jump in PPP.

The HDI(Human Development Index) places Jamaica in the "upper" development section with a score around 7.84. These numbers are never consistent though. If you search, you'll get numbers as low as 7.36 and as high as 8.24(advanced). In either case, the HDI score suggests that the quality of life in Jamaica is much higher than those of similar PPPs.

Consumer wise, there are 1016 cell phones per 1000 people which is the highest penetration in this hemisphere. And there are 1.5 million+ internet users out of 2.7 million people which is up from just 60,000 at the turn of the century.

If you can tell, I hate PPP because people tend to use it as broad a measuring stick. There are several ways to figure out the economy of countries that transcend how many US dollars float around per person.
I'm not even just boosting the island. I truely believe that Jamaica is an example of a PPP outlier and it is well documented.

For example, only 19.1% of the population is below the poverty line in Jamaica. Compared to 38.5% in Argentina 22% in Brazil and 49.2% in Columbia. Note! I have nothing against any of those countries! I just thought they gave perspective of the region and I'm well aware that poverty lines are different between countries. These numbers are from the CIA World Fact Book. Does anybody know how they calculate this? I'm sure something is wrong there.

Anyway, what do you guys think about the articles from today?